Fresh tomatoes next to a jar and bowl of tomato sauce - Burcu Atalay Tankut/Getty Images Whether you say "toe-may-toe" or "toe-mah-toe", they're both the same fruit that thinks it's a vegetable. But ...

This concentrated tomato product adds a caramelized richness to countless dishes. Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali A little tomato paste goes a long way.

Basically, tomato paste is what happens when you cook down tomatoes for a long time, removing as much water as possible, as well as their seeds and skin. It's just super concentrated tomato.

We’re not going to beat around the bush here: Tomato paste is kind of weird. The putty-like tomato gloop looks like something you’d find in a hobby shop or the dental care aisle of your drug store.

I love a good pasta dish. Pasta alla zozzona, meaty lasagna, and classic baked ziti are all welcome at my table just about any time. Many recipes for pasta sauce call for a few similar ingredients as ...