We take tomatoes for granted now, and it would be quite difficult to imagine Italian cuisine without them, but it took Italians a very long time to accept them: Though they were introduced as ornamental plants in the 1500s, the earliest evidence of their use in the kitchen comes from Francesco Gaudentio's Il Panunto Toscano, published in 1705.
A couple of observations on selecting tomatoes: Italians divide them into two classes: insalatari and da salsa. Insalatari, as one might expect, are salad tomatoes, to be eaten raw. People generally select them not-too-ripe, in other words quite firm, with streaks of green running through them, and with a lively acidity that complements the flavor of the greens in the salad. Pomodori da salsa, on the other hand, are for cooking and should be ripe -- an explosive red, rich, and slightly sweet too.
These are Pomodori Pachino, Sicilian cherry tomatoes that are very nice in salads, though they can also be used elsewhere -- for example, they make a fine addition to a pizza, and are nice when added, halved & raw, to pasta with pesto sauce.
More Italian Tomatoes:
Tomato Background, Info & Recipes
Insalata Caprese, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad
Anthony's Mediterranean Tomato Salad
Tomatoes Elsewhere on About:
Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Farfalle with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes
Tomojito, a tomato Mojito
A couple of observations on selecting tomatoes: Italians divide them into two classes: insalatari and da salsa. Insalatari, as one might expect, are salad tomatoes, to be eaten raw. People generally select them not-too-ripe, in other words quite firm, with streaks of green running through them, and with a lively acidity that complements the flavor of the greens in the salad. Pomodori da salsa, on the other hand, are for cooking and should be ripe -- an explosive red, rich, and slightly sweet too.
These are Pomodori Pachino, Sicilian cherry tomatoes that are very nice in salads, though they can also be used elsewhere -- for example, they make a fine addition to a pizza, and are nice when added, halved & raw, to pasta with pesto sauce.
More Italian Tomatoes:
Tomato Background, Info & Recipes
Insalata Caprese, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad
Anthony's Mediterranean Tomato Salad
Tomatoes Elsewhere on About:
Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Farfalle with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes
Tomojito, a tomato Mojito
