help with crushing tomatoes?

[kbucky]

This is kind of a silly question...but I am trying out the Red Wine and Rosemary marinara tonight, and the canned tomatoes I have on hand are whole and not crushed as the recipe calls for...if I pulse them a couple times in the blender will they resemble crushed, or will they get too liquidy?

I am being picky b/c it is a new recipe to me and I want to make it 'true' first before messing with it! :)

[SandyM]

I know this is weird, but I just grab the tomatoes in my hand (after washing my hands, of course) and crush them. Of course, I'm of the "I-Love-Chunky-Tomatoes" club. My goal is to bring Jewel over to our side in the next year. :D

You could probably pulse in a food processor, being careful not to over-process.

[Ohioan]

I usually pour them into a bowl and use my immersion blender on them, so I imagine a pulse or two of a regular blender would do the trick. I also know people who cut up the tomatoes in itty-bitty pieces with scissors, right in the can. Or, like Sandy, you could squish them in your hands. (I suppose you could also stomp them with your feet, but you'd need a LARGE bowl, and be sure to take off your pantyhose first.):p

Cheers,
Phoebe

[kbucky]

Thanks! I hand-squished those tomatoes and the texture was perfect! For larger chunks I would usually get in the can with my kitchen shears and chop them up, but using my hands was just right for crushing.

Phoebe, my husband made the same foot-stomping suggestion... :)