FOOD NEWS
Give Your Pasta A Burst of Flavor With A Drizzle Of Tomato Oil
BY JULIA HOLLAND
While herbs and aromatics are common infusion agents for oil, tomato oil provides a tantalizing burst of umami and a sophisticated finish to all kinds of pasta dishes.
Making tomato oil from scratch is straightforward and customizable. The most basic recipe involves roasting or otherwise cooking the tomatoes to concentrate their flavors.
Cherry tomatoes and garlic are then infused for 30 minutes in olive oil before being blended. The heat from the tomatoes will heat the oil, facilitating the infusion of flavors.
Rosemary, oregano, cracked black pepper, and chili peppers would all make delicious savory and spicy complements to highlight umami-rich tomato oil.
Tomato oil will enhance a tomato-based sauce like a bolognese ragu or marinara. It adds a burst of umami to a creamy ricotta pasta or bechamel-based cheese sauce.
You can also use tomato oil as a flavorful base for basil or cilantro pesto. For a cold pasta salad, tomato oil would be the perfect base for a dressing.