Tomatoes, from Fresh to Concentrate: Helpful Tips & Suggestions

By Piergiorgio and Amy Nicoletti

Late summer is the peak season for Italy's culinary passion: the tomato. The markets are brimming with all kinds of varieties, at the lowest prices you'll see all year. San Marzano (with its uniquely long shape) and its various hybrids (called tipo San Marzano), which are cultivated in many regions but mostly in Puglia, are the summertime favorites. But there are plenty of others: pomodorini vesuviani (oval shaped and intensely flavorful), datterini (tiny oval shape), pachini (small, round and beautiful) which are also called ciliegini (cherry tomatoes), and pomodori a grappolo (vine tomatoes). All of these are used in sauces and pasta dishes, and sometimes in salads and cold dishes such as insalata caprese (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil). These many varieties come from all over Italy; those from Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata and Campania are particularly appreciated for their sweet, aromatic taste. Some are available all year round, such as the ciliegini and pachini from Sicily. Fresh tomatoes, however, are only one of the many healthy, natural ways to partake in the joys of the pomodoro ("tomato"), the favorite vegetable of Italian cuisine.                      

Fresh tomatoes

The advantages of fresh tomatoes versus canned are open for debate even among experienced cooks. There are some who prefer canned or bottled tomatoes even in peak season-both for convenience and taste. Though it's certainly true that some recipes don't require the taste or texture of fresh tomatoes, in some preparations, raw, fresh flavor and crispness are essential; The for instance, in such dishes as penne al pomodoro fresco e basilico (penne pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil) and summer pasta salads (insalata di pasta). Also, fresh summer tomatoes are a great addition to pasta with seafood, such as spaghetti alle cozze (spaghetti and mussels) or for a quick version of melanzane al forno (baked eggplant)-even if just a small quantity is used. In fact, in every professional cuisine, some concassè (diced fresh tomatoes) are always available to lend the delicate taste of fresh tomatoes to a range of dishes and sauces.

A few helpful tips for cooking with fresh tomatoes: If you desire a fresh tomato taste in a sauce, but don't want the seeds or the extra liquid that tomatoes add, here's a good trick for all small size tomatoes-wash and then cut them in halves or quarters; then put them in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Salting them and then letting them rest for a while provokes the release of the juices. You can help this process along by mixing them and pressing them lightly. You don't have to throw away what we call the acqua di vegetazione (tomato water); after filtering, you can freeze it or use it for a broth or to dilute a sauce. For San Marzano as well as large round tomatoes, use a different method: cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze them in your hands until most of the water and seeds are gone. To obtain what some cooks call filetti di pomodoro (tomato filets), use fresh San Marzano or tipo San Marzano tomatoes: first quarter them with a sharp knife, then keeping the knife flat, cut along the outer edge-maintaining just the fleshy portion next to the skin. If you like, you can keep the filaments and water for a broth, and just discard the seeds. Besides being useful in pasta dishes, filetti di pomodoro are also very decorative in some salads. In addition to eliminating unwanted seeds, these procedures allow you to cook your tomatoes for just a few minutes-if not seconds-since you won't need to evaporate the excess liquid. A quick cooking method is often desired in fresh tomato sauces (called al pomodoro fresco), as well as for all seafood pasta recipes and some pasta dishes with vegetables.

Peeled canned tomatoes

The San Marzano is widely recognized as the best tomato in the world for canning due to its special characteristics-less seeds, placental fibers and watery juices than other varieties, and a skin that is easily removed. If you are able to find this variety at your grocer-that is, authentic, canned peeled San Marzano tomatoes, which originate only from a particular region near Naples, and carry the DOP seal-go for it, you won't be disappointed. One thing is certain: it's much better to use good quality canned tomatoes, picked at their peak of ripeness, than to use imported (often unripe) tomatoes, which suffer inevitable changes of temperature in travel and storage. Though San Marzano tomatoes are pricier than other brands, the slightly added expense is well worth it when tomatoes are the essential ingredient in your recipe. However, for dishes where the tomato is just one of the components, any good quality canned tomato will suffice.

Peeled canned tomatoes can be chopped with a sharp knife-directly in the can for expedience, if you like. A helpful tip: When you're looking for a fresh tomato taste in your recipe, you may prefer not to use the juices the tomatoes are packed in, especially if they are particularly thick; you can save them in the fridge for use in a soup or another sauce. 

Some of the many advantages of peeled canned tomatoes are:

• They are available year round, at any time-a convenience that cannot be overestimated
• The canning methods used today preserve a remarkably fresh tomato taste
• They are appropriate for both quick and long-cooking recipes

Passata, or puréed tomatoes

In Italian, the term for puréed tomatoes is passata (literally "passed through"), as the tomatoes are passed through a vegetable mill to remove the seeds and skin after they have been lightly cooked. Fare la passata refers to the joyful and laborious annual tradition of preserving a huge quantity of tomatoes, enough to last the whole year. This ritual used to be quite common in thousands of Italian families in July and August. Almost like a religious ritual, in Italy and in the US, many industrious families and friends come together to "passare i pomodori" (to puree and bottle tomatoes)-though in Italy this custom has become less widespread than it was a generation ago. Nonetheless, homemade pureed tomatoes are absolutely delicious. Fresh San Marzano and the tipo San Marzano (which are not cultivated in the DOP geographical area) are the favorite summer tomatoes for passata (and every day use); in fact, they are sometimes called pomodori da sugo (sauce tomatoes). 

Today there are a variety of commercial versions of puréed tomatoes available in markets. Always read the label for ingredients, and try to buy an imported Italian variety, since the regulations regarding processing and ingredients are stricter in Italy than elsewhere. Good quality passata, or puréed tomatoes, are:

• Very appealing to kids who are not about crazy bits of tomato in their gnocchi or spaghetti
• Very practical for soups, such as cream of tomato (crema di pomodoro)
• Very convenient when you want to avoid chopping or using a food processor

Tomato paste or concentrated tomatoes (Conserva or concentrato di pomodoro)

Like the passata, making concentrated tomato paste often used to be done at home in many parts of southern Italy. The tomatoes were cooked for a long time and then the thick salsa was salted and spread out on large wooden tables to dry in the sunlight. The paste was then preserved in little bottles or cans and used throughout the year. The methods of making it today have changed, but good producers still use the same basic principles. Most importantly, a tomato paste should be made from fresh tomatoes, not dehydrated ones. Use only a brand that you trust or are recommended by your grocer. In Italy, tomato paste is available in three varieties: concentrato; doppio (double); or triplo (triple)-triplo being the thickest and most concentrated. If you don't use the entire can, a good trick to avoid wastage is to clean the border of the partially used container with a paper towel and add a bit of oil on the top, being sure to completely cover all the tomato paste. It will keep for few weeks in the refrigerator.

• Ideal for long-cooking meat preparations or sauces
• Just a teaspoon gives a nice tomato taste to any preparation
• Tomato paste lends a special roasted flavor when added to a soffritto-the base for a sauce in which a small amount of olive oil or butter is used to lightly fry onions and/or celery and carrots
• In any preparation, water should always be added at a certain point when you use a concentrated tomato paste