Moroccan Potatoes with homemade tomato paste

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade tomato paste ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Wash the tomatoes, remove the cores and quarter each tomato.

   KnifeCutting board
2. 2
   Put the tomatoes, the salt and half of the olive oil in a wide pot, cover and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and release their liquid.

   StoveWide, shallow pot
3. 3
   Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill or sieve and return the purée to the pot: the skins and seeds stay behind.

   Food millorFine sieve
4. 4
   Cook uncovered about an hour at a lively simmer, stirring now and then, until the purée reduces by half.

   StoveWooden spoon

   💡The paste burns easily as it dries: stir and scrape the bottom and edges, and once it is thick, don't walk away.
5. 5
   Preheat the oven to 110°C (230°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
6. 6
   Grease a wide baking dish with the rest of the olive oil and pour in the purée in a thin layer. Dry in the oven about 3 hours, stirring and scraping the edges every 30 minutes, until the paste is thick, sticky and brick red.

   OvenBaking sheetSilicone spatula
7. 7
   Let the paste cool.

   Jar

For the Pan-Cooked Vegetables

1. 8
   Peel the potatoes and cut into thick slices.

   PeelerKnifeCutting board
2. 9
   Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

   StoveFrying pan
3. 10
   Add the garlic and fry about 1 minute, until fragrant.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 11
   Add the paprika, cumin and turmeric and stir.
5. 12
   Add the potatoes and stir until coated with the spices.

   Stove
6. 13
   Add the tomato paste and a little water, cover and cook 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are soft.

   StoveLid

   💡A tight lid and low heat: the vegetable cooks in the steam of the little liquid and softens evenly, without burning or falling apart.
7. 14
   Season the potatoes with salt and black pepper.
8. 15
   Sprinkle the cilantro on top and serve hot.