it
Food
Jul 23
reading time 3 min

Tomayto, Tomahto: 6 Saucy Stories on Italy’s Favorite Fruit

by ITALY SEGRETA TEAM

Summertime eating in Italy means one thing: tomatoes. The tomato has become so synonymous with Italy that most people don’t realize its origins actually lie in South America; however, the Italians do eat a whopping 60 kg per person per year, 45 kg more than the average European. It’s understandable: the country produces five million tonnes of tomatoes a year and grows over 300 stunning varieties that flood markets, menus, and our pantries from June until October. Plus, they’re the stars of almost all of the country’s best recipes: we eat them piled high on bruschetta, slice ‘em up for salads like caprese and panzanella, cook them down into a light passata for pasta and pizza, and even shamelessly devour the cuore di bue variety like apples. 

 

Below, a collection of some of our favorite pieces and recipes on Italy’s famous juicy fruit (yes, it’s a fruit).

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1. POMO D’ORO: THE TOMATO IS ITALY’S “GOLDEN APPLE”

 

“Wary yet enamoured by the tomato’s exotic beauty, the supposed aphrodisiac qualities it bore, and the tomato’s radiant colouring (the first varieties were yellower in hue), Mattioli dubbed the fruit ‘pomo d’oro’–golden apple. The name persists today. Yes, you may say toMAYto and I may say toMAHto, but for Italians, it’s a much catchier pomodoro.”

 

 

2. LA PASSATA: THE 8 STEPS TO TOMATO SAUCE

 

All summer long, Italians across generations gather in the garden and kitchen to make a cultural pantry staple: la passata. Here, a foolproof, eight-step process to follow along and start your own family tradition.

 

 

3. HAVE YOU SEEN NONNO’S TOMATOES?

“

My Nonno’s usual spot was at the head of the dining table, silently observing everything and everyone around him, but the summer heat always brought a welcome change of scenery: his favorite place was amongst the vines that held the sun-ripened tomatoes.”

 

4. IN CUCINA: PANZANELLA

 

“A traditional panzanella takes leftover Tuscan bread, torn into bite-sized chunks, and soaks it in water to rehydrate it before tossing it with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and basil, with a good glug of olive oil and red wine vinegar.”

 

Panzanella

 

5. PASTA AL POMODORO

 

Italy Segreta’s ultimate recipe for the most classic pasta dish. Or, if you’ve already followed the instructions in “La Passata: The 8 Steps to Tomato Sauce”, simply toss that on top of an al dente shape of your choice (we’re partial to spaghetti and penne).

 

 

6. LA SCARPETTA: SOPPING UP THE SAUCE

 

In essence, la scarpetta is a glorified way to lick your plate as you swipe up the remaining drops of bright red sugo (or melted butter, pesto, or olive oil).

 

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