Tomato Fondue
6 servings
50 minutes
Tomato fondue is a refined European sauce inspired by Mediterranean culinary traditions. The recipe is based on ripe tomatoes, aromatic shallots, and garlic, with thyme and bay leaves adding exquisite depth of flavor. Slowly simmered vegetables turn into a rich puree enhanced with caramelized sugar and white wine vinegar, creating a harmonious balance of sweetness and acidity. The result is a velvety, thick sauce with a warm, rich taste. It pairs wonderfully with pasta, pizza, and lasagna, adding richness and a touch of elegance to dishes. This sauce is the perfect way to highlight the richness of fresh tomato flavors, turning them into a gastronomic delight.
1
Remove the cores and chop the tomatoes coarsely. They should be very ripe. Finely chop the shallot and garlic. Place everything in a large heavy pot, pour in the juice, and add the herbs — it's better to tie the thyme with kitchen twine beforehand for easier removal later. Simmer the vegetables over medium heat until the mixture reduces by half and thickens. Depending on the ripeness of the tomatoes, this will take thirty to sixty minutes.
- Tomatoes: 2 kg
- Tomato juice: 500 ml
- Shallots: 4 heads
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Thyme: 15 g
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
2
Remove the herbs. Pour the contents of the pot into a blender and turn it into puree. Then strain through a fine sieve.
3
Heat the pan strongly, add sugar, reduce the heat, and without stirring, wait for the sugar to start melting. Then slightly increase the heat and, stirring, bring the sugar to a golden caramel syrup state. Then add vinegar, mix, and pour the syrup into the tomato puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cool.
- Sugar: 50 g
- White wine vinegar: 4 tablespoons
- Sea salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
4
The resulting fondue can be used as a sauce for pasta, spread on pizza, or to moisten layers of lasagna.