Organic - Tomato - San Marzano

Seeds:  15  / Botanical name:  Solanum lycopersicum

The number 1 Italian tomato for sugo - saved thanks to Slow Food

The traditional Italian variety San Marzano produces fleshy fruits weighing 90 to 120 grams, containing very few seeds, and is particularly well-suited for cooking, canning, sauces, and purées. This mid-early ripening, bottle-shaped tomato, with its balanced acid-to-sugar ratio, is once again rightly considered the number one cooking tomato variety in Italian cuisine and is truly unsurpassed for sauces. Almost forgotten, the Italian Slow Food movement has succeeded in reviving the propagation of this bottle tomato.

Natural habitat:  Tomatoes originally come from South and Central America.

In the kitchen:  Tomato sauces and tomato soups are popular, as are whole tomato pieces in vegetable and meat stews. Passata (strained tomatoes) is an ideal pizza topping. Furthermore, tomatoes are a fundamental ingredient in many pasta bakes, such as lasagna. Fresh sliced ​​tomatoes, together with mozzarella, a few herbs, and olive oil, make the famous Insalata Caprese. Mediterranean herbs like oregano, thyme, sage, and basil are ideal with tomatoes. To dry and store tomatoes: Preheat your oven to 75°C (165°F). Wash the tomatoes and halve them lengthwise. Wash a few sprigs of thyme, pat them dry, and chop them. Arrange the tomatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with thyme. Dry in the hot oven with the door slightly ajar for 7 to 10 hours, turning them occasionally. The tomatoes are done when they are dry but still pliable. Rinse a jar with hot water. Layer the tomatoes in the jar with rosemary sprigs and garlic. Pour in oil until the tomatoes are covered. Let it infuse for at least a week.