what is passata

Passata is an uncooked tomato puree that has been strained of seeds and skins. It is made by crushing and pureeing fresh, in-season tomatoes, and then straining out any tomato pieces, skins, and seeds to make it perfectly smooth. Passata is also known as tomato puree or strained tomatoes. It is a traditional Italian ingredient that is used as a base for pasta sauces, soups, stews, and other dishes. Passata is uniform and smooth, unlike crushed or chopped tomatoes, and makes gorgeously thick tomato-based sauces. It is 100% tomato, with no additives or flavorings, but sometimes contains added salt. Passata is made during peak tomato season, from mid-July to mid-October, as a way to preserve harvested tomatoes for the rest of the year.