I loathe “fresh” winter tomatoes almost as much as I love summer heirlooms. And because I simply cannot exist without this crimson fruit, winter fare must make use of tomatoes canned or frozen at their peak. So when the bleak weather seemingly forever looms, my sourdough foregoes fresh tomato and mayo in favor of this flavorful condiment adorned with pickled banana peppers and calamatas. It tastes great on any sandwich, including grilled cheese, and even makes a delicious quick pizza sauce. Because I often pair with pickled veggies, I usually don’t add vinegar or lemon juice but feel free to opt for it. The acidity offsets the sweetness of the jammy tomato paste.
ingredients
makes 8 oz / 1 Pint
3.5 Ounces Pine Nuts
3.0 Ounces Tomato Paste
1.5 Ounces Olive Oil
1/4 - 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, approximate, to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil or Oregano
1/8 - 1/2 Dried Chili Flakes, optional, to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice or Vinegar, optional, approximate, to taste
deviations & tips
Raw cashews can be substituted for the pine nuts.
Add chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, lemon balm, oregano or basil when available.
Try as a veggie dip or as a quick pizza sauce!
Pre-heat oven to 350F. Spread nuts on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden and aromatic. Add nuts, tomato paste and olive oil to food processor. Process for about 1-2 minutes, stopping and scraping about every 30 seconds, or until mixture is smooth. Add salt to taste; the amount you need can vary greatly depending on the amount of salt in your tomato paste. Blend in herbs, lemon juice or vinegar to taste, and chili flakes if using.
Serve as desired and store in refrigerator.
