What Makes Italian Tomatoes Taste So Much Better

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Although tomatoes are seemingly omnipresent in Italian food, they didn't get their start in Italy, nor even on the European continent. Tomatoes are native to the Andes mountain range in South America. They then made their way north toward Mexico, where the seeds were brought back to Spain and introduced to Europe in the 1500s. At the time, Sicily and Naples were ruled by Spain, and tomatoes began appearing in texts from the mid-16th century. Fast forward five centuries, and it's difficult to imagine Italian cuisine without them, especially since some of the best are grown on Italian soil. Tasting Table spoke with Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., owner and chef at Jasper's Restaurant, and host of "Live! From Jasper's Kitchen," about why Italian tomatoes, especially canned, are so delicious. 

"Some knowledgeable food experts claim there are over 500 different Italian tomatoes in the 20 regions of Italy, and some are protected by a PGI status," Chef Mirabile told Tasting Table. PGI stands for Protected Geographical Indication, and although it's not as weighty a certification as the DOP label on canned tomatoes, it does require that at least one stage of production occur in a specific area. "Italy grows more than 6,000,000 tons [of tomatoes] each year and, just as Italy has hundreds of pasta shapes," he said, "[it] also has hundreds of tomato varieties, each region claiming theirs is the finest." Of course, every chef has their own tomato preference, and whether they come canned or fresh, some varieties are better suited to certain recipes than others.

While delicious right off the vine, Italian canned tomatoes offer great convenience for those abroad. This is far from a compromise — most chefs, including Chef Mirabile, agree that canned tomatoes from Italy are the best you can get. If you're not already using them, it's time for you to pivot to Italian canned tomatoes. "Italian tomatoes in the can are far superior to any other canned tomato not only because they are harvested when they are ripe, and their texture which holds up so well, but also because they are low in seeds, low in the acidity, and I love the idea that they put a basil leaf in each can," said Chef Mirabile. The greatest thing about them? According to him, "There is no water in the can making the tomatoes very heavy and full." 

In terms of his absolute favorite brand of canned tomatoes from Italy, Chef Mirabile shared that Strianese San Marzano Tomatoes D.O.P. can't be beat. The Strianese brand's canned San Marzano tomatoes offer a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, as well as fewer seeds than other types of canned tomatoes. "There is such a great balance of sweetness and acidity that gives these tomatoes so much more flavor. This is why Italian cooks add very little sugar or salt to the sauce, because there's so much flavor already from the tomato," he explained. The lack of water in the can also means your pizza dough won't turn out soggy or cook out and take any of your sauce's flavor away.

If you're able to make it to Italy, you're in for a world of delicious tomatoes, depending on the regions you visit. "The most popular Italian tomatoes, of course, are the San Marzano, grown near Naples around Mount Vesuvius," said Chef Mirabile. "Hands-down, these are my favorite tomatoes to use. They're very versatile, and of course I wouldn't use anything else for our marinara and pizza sauce." He isn't alone in his preference, as many pizza makers agree that San Marzano tomatoes make the best pizza sauce. However, San Marzanos aren't the only Italian tomatoes worth using. 

"Piennolo are another wonderful tomato grown in the same area, but I'm telling you — they are the sweetest tomato you'll ever eat," he said. "In my opinion, they are very intense in flavor, what a tomato should probably taste like." Pienello tomatoes, known as Piennolo del Vesuvio, are recognizable for their small pointed bottoms and grow in large clusters like grapes. "You can put them in a sauté pan [with] a hint of oil and a little bit of garlic and basil, and have the quickest and finest sauce for your pasta or seafood and meat dishes," said Chef Mirabile. 

Another Italian tomato variety Chef Mirabile loves is the Datterino, which translates to "little date" in Italian. He grew up eating Datterino tomatoes when he visited his family in Trapani, Sicily, and said the tomatoes make an "outstanding" uncooked tomato sauce.