How to peel Tomatoes
To peel tomatoes, cut a small cross in the skin and boil them until the skin starts to split, no more than 5 minutes once the water boils. Then put them in cold water and the skin slides off.
There are many reasons to peel tomatoes. Some people don’t like the taste, some people don’t like the feeling of it and some of them have trouble digesting the skin. Today I am going to show you some simple steps on how to peel tomatoes.
How to peel tomatoes
- Wash the tomatoes and remove the green thing from them (the stem).
- Use a small and sharp knife to cut the tomatoes’ skin like a plus sign.
- Do not cut the tomatoes too deep, otherwise it will destroy them. Only the skin needs the cut.
- Add water in a pan and put the tomatoes to boil for approximately 15 minutes, counting the time after putting the pan on heat. If the water is already boiling, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. They are ready when the skin starts to split at the cut.
- After 15 minutes you will notice that the skin is very loose. Put the tomatoes in cold water and start removing the skin from them. Start at the cut and pull it off with your fingers, or with the knife.
Why the cold water?
The cold water stops the cooking and cools the tomatoes down, so you can hold them while you peel. If they stay in the boiling water too long, they get soft. That’s fine for a sauce, but not if you want them whole.
Why peel tomatoes for sauce?
Peeling the tomatoes also gives the red sauce a better taste. The skins turn tough as they cook, so the sauce isn’t smooth, and they can taste bitter too.
Recipes with peeled tomatoes
In my turli, the tomatoes become the sauce. As the first step, we need to peel them. My Greek briam and my baked eggplant with farmers cheese also make their sauce from fresh tomatoes. You can peel them the same way for a smoother sauce.
Questions
How long do you boil tomatoes to peel them?
If the water is already boiling, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. Ripe tomatoes are often ready in 30 to 60 seconds, as soon as the skin splits. Small and cherry tomatoes need even less. From cold water, count about 15 minutes.
Can you peel a tomato with a knife?
You can, but peeling a tomato is very difficult if you are not using this trick. A vegetable peeler takes part of the tomato with the skin. Here the knife only cuts a small cross, and the boiling water does the rest.
Do you have to peel tomatoes for sauce?
No, but the skins get tough and bitter as they cook. Peeled tomatoes make a better red sauce.