Tomate Frito

A practical recipe for tomato sauce

Tomate frito means fried tomato in the Spanish language. It’s a sauce used extensively in the cuisine of the Iberian Peninsula and is available in bottles and cans but is a doddle to make for yourself. It will keep for a week in the fridge or for months in the freezer and it costs pennies.

This is my own recipe and method.

1 large onion, chopped

2 sticks of celery, likewise

1 large carrot, likewise

5 fat cloves of garlic

A big glug of olive oil

Heat the oil in a big pan and fry the veggies until lightly browned then add:

3 tins of tomatoes

A slug of white wine vinegar

Sea salt to taste

Cook down on a gentle heat for an hour then liquidize. I use a stick blender which I copped from a charity shop for two squid. Remember, we are saving dosh here.

You want to end up with a sauce which is not too thin - it’s not a soup - or too thick like porridge. A basic coating sauce.

This is the basic tomato sauce. You can add natural spices and flavourings such as:

A teaspoon of Spanish smoked paprika

A sprinkling of thyme and oregano

Fresh basil for an Italian touch

3 large bay leaves

A pinch of cumin

Whatever takes your fancy

If adding herbs and spices simmer the sauce until the additional flavours have been incorporated. Fresh basil and spices take a few minutes; bay leaves need a bit longer.

Tomate Frito can be used in any dish which calls for homemade tomato sauce. Use it on its own, over pasta or rice, add veggies or meat to simmer in a casserole, chilli for a hot sauce, meatballs if you’re feeling gangster or the addition of spices for a curry.