I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
have a failproof recipe?
~Karen aka Kajikit
Lover of fine chocolate, fun crafts, and furry felines
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
*remove 'nospam' to reply

"Karen AKA Kajikit" > wrote in message
...
>I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
> paste out of a jar,

What do you call tomato paste back in Australia, meaning ... is it
the same thing? I would not think of putting that on a pizza.

> chopped up bacon, ham etc,

Salt. Salt.

> and topped with grated
> mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
> came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
> any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
> have a failproof recipe?

At the very least you need to make or buy pizza sauce. Not paste.
That's concentrated and you don't use much of it in relation to the
other ingredients.

nancy

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 17:34:38 -0500, "Nancy Young"
> wrote:

>
>"Karen AKA Kajikit" > wrote in message
.. .
>>I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
>> paste out of a jar,
>
>What do you call tomato paste back in Australia, meaning ... is it
>the same thing? I would not think of putting that on a pizza.
>
>> chopped up bacon, ham etc,
>
>Salt. Salt.
>
>> and topped with grated
>> mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
>> came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
>> any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
>> have a failproof recipe?
>
>At the very least you need to make or buy pizza sauce. Not paste.
>That's concentrated and you don't use much of it in relation to the
>other ingredients.

Recipe please? The tomato paste I always bought was very thick and
concentrated but they didn't add any salt or anything to it - it was
just thick concentrated tomato puree... it makes great pizzas!

Does American mozarella have extra salt added to it? Is there a
special kind of 'pizza cheese' to use instead?

~Karen aka Kajikit
Lover of fine chocolate, fun crafts, and furry felines
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
*remove 'nospam' to reply

In my experience, personal recipes don't always cross borders or oceans
well. Canned tomato sauce in the US, for example, has a completely
different taste from the stuff I bought in Germany.


Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
> I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
> paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
> mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
> came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't
add
> any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
> have a failproof recipe?
> ~Karen aka Kajikit
> Lover of fine chocolate, fun crafts, and furry felines
> http://www.kajikitscorner.com
> *remove 'nospam' to reply

Most "pizza shop" sauce is simply tomato puree with some tomato paste
to thicken it up. Add some oregano a bit of sugar and that's it. It's
thick enough to stay on the pizza without water separating. If you
don't add the paste the water in the puree will tend to leak to the
edge of the pizza.

I can't imagine building a pizza with only tomato paste as a base but
then I've never tried it.

As for the salt... as Nancy said above bacon and ham both are high in
salt. The mozz and tomato may have salt in them too. You may want to
try again with only a basic pizza - sauce & cheese. If that's not too
salty then add other things. One other suggestion - use crushed garlic
and oil as your base instead of red sauce.

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 17:26:04 -0500, Karen AKA Kajikit
> wrote:

> ~Karen aka Kajikit

Hey! Haven't seen you for a while... what's up?

> I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
> paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
> mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
> came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
> any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use?

First of all, nix the bacon and ham - that's a big salt
problem.

My personal problem is that sometimes the tomato is too
sweet.

sf

Karen AKA Kajikit > wrote:

>I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
>paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
>mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
>came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
>any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
>have a failproof recipe?
>~Karen aka Kajikit
>Lover of fine chocolate, fun crafts, and furry felines
>http://www.kajikitscorner.com
>*remove 'nospam' to reply

You probably should start reading the ingredients list on the products
to make sure that they are what you expect. Buy 1, taste it. If you
do not like it, toss it and look for something else. Better to toss 1
can of something than to ruin a dish. BTW, Hunt makes a line of "no
salt added" tomato products. Look for them.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral, 48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

The Cook wrote:

> Karen AKA Kajikit > wrote:
>
>
>>I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
>>paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
>>mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
>>came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
>>any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
>>have a failproof recipe?
>>~Karen aka Kajikit
>>Lover of fine chocolate, fun crafts, and furry felines
>>http://www.kajikitscorner.com
>>*remove 'nospam' to reply
>
>
> You probably should start reading the ingredients list on the products
> to make sure that they are what you expect. Buy 1, taste it. If you
> do not like it, toss it and look for something else. Better to toss 1
> can of something than to ruin a dish. BTW, Hunt makes a line of "no
> salt added" tomato products. Look for them.
>
Very good advice! I use a home canned pizza sauce (Bernardin recipe).
I eliminated the salt because we are watching our sodium intake. BTW,
if you home can, you can control the sodium by either reducing it or
eliminating it entirely depending on your tastes. Commercial tomato
paste contains about 30 g of sodium for 5.5 oz can. That is the small
can. That is a fair amount of sodium if a whole can of paste was used.
Sodium reduced mozzarella cheese is available as is low sodium ham and
bacon. At least it is available here. So the same pizza made with
sodium reduced products would taste less salty and be better for you.

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005, Serendipity wrote:

> The Cook wrote:
>
>> Karen AKA Kajikit > wrote:
>>
>>
>>> I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
>>> paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
>>> mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
>>> came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
>>> any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
>>> have a failproof recipe? ~Karen aka Kajikit
>>> Lover of fine chocolate, fun crafts, and furry felines
>>> http://www.kajikitscorner.com
>>> *remove 'nospam' to reply
>>
>>
>> You probably should start reading the ingredients list on the products
>> to make sure that they are what you expect. Buy 1, taste it. If you
>> do not like it, toss it and look for something else. Better to toss 1
>> can of something than to ruin a dish. BTW, Hunt makes a line of "no
>> salt added" tomato products. Look for them.
>>
> Very good advice! I use a home canned pizza sauce (Bernardin recipe). I
> eliminated the salt because we are watching our sodium intake. BTW, if you
> home can, you can control the sodium by either reducing it or eliminating it
> entirely depending on your tastes. Commercial tomato paste contains about 30
> g of sodium for 5.5 oz can. That is the small can. That is a fair amount of
> sodium if a whole can of paste was used. Sodium reduced mozzarella cheese is
> available as is low sodium ham and bacon. At least it is available here. So
> the same pizza made with sodium reduced products would taste less salty and
> be better for you.

only if you've got high blood pressure.

anyone know whether salt increases blood pressure for those with low blood
pressure?

lena

Serendipity says:
>
> the same pizza made with sodium reduced products would taste less
salty and
> be better for you.

only if you've got high blood pressure.

lena


That's not true. There are many human conditions that have nothing to
do with blood pressure where exess salt should be avoided. My blood
pressure is completely normal, in fact it's generally on the low end of
normal, but I have edema and COPD, excess dietary salt exascerbates
both.

Lena B Katz wrote:

> On Thu, 24 Feb 2005, Serendipity wrote:
>
>> The Cook wrote:
>>
>>> Karen AKA Kajikit > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
>>>> paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
>>>> mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
>>>> came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't add
>>>> any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
>>>> have a failproof recipe? ~Karen aka Kajikit
>>>> Lover of fine chocolate, fun crafts, and furry felines
>>>> http://www.kajikitscorner.com
>>>> *remove 'nospam' to reply
>>>
>>> You probably should start reading the ingredients list on the products
>>> to make sure that they are what you expect. Buy 1, taste it. If you
>>> do not like it, toss it and look for something else. Better to toss 1
>>> can of something than to ruin a dish. BTW, Hunt makes a line of "no
>>> salt added" tomato products. Look for them.
>>>
>> Very good advice! I use a home canned pizza sauce (Bernardin recipe).
>> I eliminated the salt because we are watching our sodium intake. BTW,
>> if you home can, you can control the sodium by either reducing it or
>> eliminating it entirely depending on your tastes. Commercial tomato
>> paste contains about 30 g of sodium for 5.5 oz can. That is the small
>> can. That is a fair amount of sodium if a whole can of paste was
>> used. Sodium reduced mozzarella cheese is available as is low sodium
>> ham and bacon. At least it is available here. So the same pizza made
>> with sodium reduced products would taste less salty and be better for
>> you.
>
> only if you've got high blood pressure.
>
> anyone know whether salt increases blood pressure for those with low
> blood pressure?

Salt will only have import for the minority of people who are
salt-sensitive. For everybody else, it doesn't much matter. Without
knowing which you are, it's not possible to answer.

Check out a study called "Intersalt" that's been around for about a
decade and a half. Says it all.

Pastorio

Serendipity wrote:

> Commercial tomato paste contains about 30 g of sodium for 5.5 oz can.
> That is the small can. That is a fair amount of sodium if a whole can
> of paste was used.


<delurk>

Um, Serendipity, not to nitpick but I think that should read 30 mg
(milligrams). I just got out a can of Unico tomato paste, and the
ingredients a tomatoes. Nothing else.

It then goes on to say that there are 11 mg of sodium per serving, but
it doesn't define a "serving". And I assume that those 11 mg of sodium
come from the tomatoes naturally.

If it was 30 *grams* of sodium, that would be about 1/5 of the contents
of the can!

That is all. Carry on :-)

Jo Annne

</delurk>

Jo Anne Slaven wrote:
> Serendipity wrote:
>
> > Commercial tomato paste contains about 30 g of sodium for 5.5 oz
can.
> > That is the small can. That is a fair amount of sodium if a whole
can
> > of paste was used.
>
>
> <delurk>
>
> Um, Serendipity, not to nitpick but I think that should read 30 mg
> (milligrams). I just got out a can of Unico tomato paste, and the
> ingredients a tomatoes. Nothing else.
>
> It then goes on to say that there are 11 mg of sodium per serving,
but
> it doesn't define a "serving". And I assume that those 11 mg of
sodium
> come from the tomatoes naturally.
>
> If it was 30 *grams* of sodium, that would be about 1/5 of the
contents
> of the can!

Contadina Tomato Paste (6oz can)

Ingredients: 100% Tomatoes (no added salt)

Nutrition facts...
20 mg sodium/serving - serving = 2 Tbsps (33g)
Approx 5 servings/can or 100 mg sodium per can.

---

Jo Anne Slaven wrote:

> Serendipity wrote:
>
>> Commercial tomato paste contains about 30 g of sodium for 5.5 oz can.
>> That is the small can. That is a fair amount of sodium if a whole can
>> of paste was used.
>
>
>
> <delurk>
>
> Um, Serendipity, not to nitpick but I think that should read 30 mg
> (milligrams). I just got out a can of Unico tomato paste, and the
> ingredients a tomatoes. Nothing else.

Nitpick away, I don't mind Yes, you are quite correct. It should be
mg not g.
>
> It then goes on to say that there are 11 mg of sodium per serving, but
> it doesn't define a "serving". And I assume that those 11 mg of sodium
> come from the tomatoes naturally.

I suspect you are correct given the tomato paste is so condensed and if
the product only contains tomatoes, that's the only place it could come
from. Looking at Book of Food Counts shows 11 mg sodium for a 4.75 oz
raw tomato. Bernardin's recipe for tomato paste adds 1 tsp salt for 9 -
250 ml jar batch. I honestly don't know if commercial canners add salt
or not to their tomato paste. I suspect there are low sodium versions
but haven't checked.
>
> If it was 30 *grams* of sodium, that would be about 1/5 of the contents
> of the can!
>
> That is all. Carry on :-)
>
> Jo Annne
>
> </delurk>
>

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:

> The tomato paste I always bought was very thick and
> concentrated but they didn't add any salt or anything to it - it was
> just thick concentrated tomato puree... it makes great pizzas!

Tomato paste in the US often has salt added to it. I think the Contadina
brand has the lowest sodium of the brands in this area. You might
compare labels.

>
> Does American mozarella have extra salt added to it? Is there a
> special kind of 'pizza cheese' to use instead?

Try to find anything that doesn't have salt added to it...

Some mozzarella here is good and some is awful, you'll have to find a
brand you like.

You might also check the meats you use.




Dawn

Karen AKA Kajikit wrote:
> I used to make my own pizza all the time in Australia, using tomato
> paste out of a jar, chopped up bacon, ham etc, and topped with grated
> mozzarella cheese. I made exactly the same thing in America and it
> came out inedible because it was so incredibly salty (and I didn't
add
> any!) Is there something special I need to buy or use? Does anyone
> have a failproof recipe?
> ~Karen aka Kajikit

It's almost always the cheese. Especially if it was part-skim
mozarella. I don't use pure paste - I make sauce from veggies and
canned tomatoes (salt-free), tomato puree (salt-free) and paste.

-L.

I don't use pure paste - I make sauce from veggies and
canned tomatoes (salt-free), tomato puree (salt-free).

-L.


No such thing as tomatoes (salt-free).