So, what’s great about tomatoes? 🍅

This recipe is part of a Community Larder series, where the main ingredient is available to you for free from the Community Larder on campus or at the city centre location.

• Tinned tomatoes have a really long shelf life compared to fresh tomatoes.

• They count as one of your recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables.

Did you know?

Tomatoes are used as a base in many curried dishes, not just for their sweet and tangy taste but also to add body and texture to sauces.

So why did we choose to focus on tinned tomatoes?

Tinned tomatoes are cooked, and this can make them less acidic. There are also studies that show health benefits from eating cooked tomatoes in addition to fresh raw tomatoes.

They are an inexpensive item, easy to add flavour too and so versatile. They can bulk up meat and vegetarian options, so you get more for your money. So whether you are making a chili, or a curry why not add some tomatoes.

Review of some product choices available and our top pick

 We have put them in price order from most expensive to cheapest. The 2nd cheapest has the most tomato content.

1. Napolitana chopped tomatoes - % of tomato not specified
2. Ciro chopped tomatoes - % of tomato not specified
3. Tesco Italian chopped tomatoes – 65% tomato
4. Aldi passata (strained tomato) 99 % tomato (no juice)
5. Aldi chopped tomatoes – 60 % tomato

Safety point

Remove any left over tinned food from the open metal tin into a clean lidded container. If you leave food in an open tin there is a risk of the metal leaching into the food, so best to not take a chance.

Here is one of my favourite dishes that we put together based on the most common foods that students waste in their kitchen here at Bath.

One pan Ratatouille and eggs

Cooking time - 15 Mins

Prep time - 20 Mins

Preheat oven at 200˚C, 180˚C (fan) or gas 6

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 400 gram tin of tomatoes (double up if you do not have any pasta sauce)

• 4 raw shell eggs

• 2 onions

• 2 carrots

• Celery stick

• Garlic – fresh or dried (to taste)

• 2 peppers

• Handful of mushrooms

• Jar of pesto sauce

• Jar of pasta sauce

• 200 gram tin of Baked beans

• Spinach (optional)

• 100 gram Grated cheese

• Fresh herbs (optional)

• 2 x spring onions

• Seasoning

• 3 Tbs vegetable oil 

Method

1. Preheat your oven, peal and finely dice 2 onions, peal and finely dice 2 carrots, wash and finely dice some celery, fry all three in a pan on the hob with some vegetable oil, until they soften and add garlic (fresh or dried).
2. Prepare and dice fresh peppers, prepare and slice mushrooms, add the mushrooms and peppers to the pan and add a 2 Tbs of pesto paste.
3. Add tinned tomatoes and the left over pasta sauce. If using whole tinned tomatoes, chop them up with a spoon in the cooking pan. Add left over baked beans and mix everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add a tablespoon of vinegar and a pinch of sugar (optional).
4. Place washed left over spinach in the base of an oven proof dish, spoon over the tomato and vegetable mix, make 4 wells in the tomato mix and crack your raw eggs into it, sprinkle the dish with cheese (whatever you have).
5. Bake for 12 -15 mins depending on how you like your eggs, and garnish with fresh herbs and finely diced spring onions (optional).
6. Serve with tortilla wraps. Feel free to turn up the heat with some fresh or dried chilli!

Make sure to check out the other Community Larder recipes.