Tomato-based sauces are a favorite in Greek cooking, and many recipes call for grated tomatoes (tomato pulp). Grating tomatoes is easy and less expensive than buying canned pulp, and the pulp (or pulp and juice) can be frozen to use when ripe tomatoes are not in season.

Here’s How:

1. Choose the ripest tomatoes available.
2. Cut tomatoes in half across the width (not stem to bottom).
3. Grate the meat side of the tomato using a coarse vegetable grater over a bowl or measuring cup (or a strainer over the bowl or cup), grating as close to the skin as possible (do not grate skin).
4. Discard tomato skin.

Tips:

1. To use pulp only without juice, place a strainer over the bowl or measuring cup and grate into the strainer.
2. To freeze, measure grated tomato (pulp and juice or pulp only), place in freezer bags, and label with quantity and date.

What You Need

• Ripe tomatoes
• Coarse vegetable grater
• Knife
• Bowl
• Strainer (optional)
• Measuring cup