Do you 'fry off' tomato purée ?

[Fordian]

All the big questions...

Read on here about how to make a lasagne 'special'; and 'frying off' a 'dollop of tomato purée/paste' was mentioned..

Are you supposed to fry tomato purée/paste? I always assumed it was 'ready to go'!

if this is a thing i have never heard of it

I've seen it done on the telly - Simon Rimmer was the first person I saw suggest this made a difference to the flavour.

That's the way Angela Hartnett does her ragu, so it is a thing.

While I do follow her method for a spaghetti bolognese, I've given up with lasagne because it's a lot of faff and my lasagne sheets always seem to end up soggy.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/jun/21/spaghetti-bolognaise-recipe-angela-hartnett

I always have. You can smell the difference.

No I don't - I just chuck it in whatever I am cooking

My tiny mind is gently boggling at this; teetering at the brink of being blown. I’m willing to learn, though! Teach me the ways of frying off tomato purée! Does anyone have a decent link?

I’m now hungry…

I've seen it done on the telly - Simon Rimmer was the first person I saw suggest this made a difference to the flavour.

Yeah, doesn’t he have a theory that you have to cook it out for six minutes or something before you add anything else?

Sort of. I usually add it with the garlic so it's fried for a bit

@ChocAuVin

My tiny mind is gently boggling at this; teetering at the brink of being blown. I’m willing to learn, though! Teach me the ways of frying off tomato purée! Does anyone have a decent link?

I’m now hungry…

What I do is fry the onions and garlic in oil and butter, add a dollop of purée, fry it off for a while until you smell the change, add red wine to deglaze, add tomatoes.

Yes, before adding tomatoes or liquid I fry off garlic, tom purée and any dried herbs as they all release their flavour best in fat/oil.

I do I normally do it with the mince or onions I have no idea what difference it makes but I've always cooked it off.

I can't bloody wait to do Thai

Lol
I meant this not Thai 😂

Always, it's too bitter and sour otherwise.

Of course you fry it off, it’s the base of the sauce you wouldn’t put uncooked onions in.

Yes I usually do, although not always. It depends on what I’m making.

Yep, to remove the bitterness

My method is similar to @MrsTerryPratchett above.

Yes, have always done this.

I do for the simple reason that it's what my mum does.

I always cook my tomato puree, you can state the difference otherwise.

@MrsTerryPratchett thank you! Will try!

Yes with the onions garlic etc

Was Simon Rimmer that I saw doing this too. From what I recall, he said it sweetens it. Have always done it since.

I didn't used to, but then saw several TV chefs doing it, so now I do