Cooking with San Marzano canned tomatoes: comfort food, made to perfection!

 

 

San Marzano tomatoes (full name: San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP tomatoes) arrived in Europe in 1770, as a gift from the Viceroy of Peru to the Bourbon King of Naples, Ferdinand. 

 

 

Widely regarded as “the crown jewel of European canned tomatoes,” San Marzano tomatoes are not a brand but a type of tomato grown and picked exclusively for the can in the 41 towns situated within the volcanic-rich production area of Agro Sarnese-Nocerino near Naples, in the South of Italy. The area also includes the small town of San Marzano, which was picked as a name for these tomatoes.

 

 

 

The combination of Mediterranean climate and volcanic soil, rich in potassium and phosphorus, has proven to be excellent for this iconic elongated tomato. With its soft pulp, low acidity, and very few seeds, San Marzano is a joy and a wonder!

 

 

Soon after, the tomatoes start their journey into the foodiesphere, carrying the vibrant, exuberant and luscious flavor of the Mediterranean all around the world, for everyone to enjoy.

 

 

 

 

I learned that canned San Marzano tomatoes are a rich source of vitamins A and C, potassium, minerals, and fiber. They are also high in the anti-oxidant Lycopene, which research has shown to be useful in the prevention of various diseases. Last but not least, they are vegan, fat free, Kosher and Halal.

 

One of the statistics I came across while doing the research for this post has left me speechless: Did you know that 95% of the San Marzano tomatoes sold in the US are not San Marzano? Mislabeling can have a significant impact on the consumer – first, in terms of flavor, and second, in terms of distrust built as a result of experiencing an inferior product. One simple way for consumers to protect themselves from fraudulent San Marzano products is to look for the DOP symbol on the cans. Real San Marzano tomatoes were granted the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) label by the European Union back in 1996. A product registered as DOP/PDO means that it has very strong links to the region and country in which it is made. According to the I ❤ San Marzano DOP campaign, “This gives rise to a unique product which cannot be reproduced in any other territory than in the specific production area.”

 

 

 

Once the research part was completed, it was time for me to put the tomatoes to the test. I wanted to use them in a pasta dish to celebrate National Pasta Month. Since the cold weather outside was calling for a hearty comfort dish, I decided to make a pasta casserole using several authentic Italian ingredients, imported from Italy.

 

I started off by making the tomato sauce. I sauteed onion, celery, parsnip, garlic, and carrot (I used a white carrot from a bunch of rainbow carrots I had in the fridge).

 

With its calculated richness and versatile tomato goodness, this casserole gravitated towards culinary perfection. The purity of the ingredients, the flavorful symbiosis among them, the luscious, dreamy texture – all of these made my heart sing with joy, as if I were a child. Enveloping everything, the sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes provided a mythical foundation of flavor and meaning, which resonated with me, and touched me to the core.

 

 

I think this is a beautiful capture of the spirit of Italy in general, and of San Marzano tomatoes in particular!

 

 

I used the sauce I had left to make another dish with one of this year’s most cherished culinary discoveries: Sitka Salmon Shares Wild Alaskan sablefish. Since the fish didn’t need a lot of cooking I just placed it in a pan, poured the sauce on top, and cooked in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. I served the dish with fresh thyme from the garden.

 

 

Without the sauce, the fish was absolutely amazing (that’s to be expected from Sitka Salmon Shares, of course). With the sauce permeating each and every fiber of its being, the depth of flavor in the fish was legendary. I wish I could find words to properly explain how delicious this combination of flaky sablefish and luscious sauce was – but words sometimes cannot fully do justice, so I’m going to leave this picture here while doing straight into the kitchen to make this dish again 🙂

 

 

You can find out more about the I ❤ San Marzano DOP campaign by checking out their website and following them on social media – look for the @ILoveSanMarzanoDOP handle, and the #ILoveSanMarzanoDOP #anicav and #consorziopomodorosanmarzanodop hashtags. You can also head to my Instagram account starting on Friday October 30, 2020 to enter the “Win with San Marzano DOP” recipe contest! Here’s your chance to win an amazing gift basket filled with the finest gastronomic goodies from Europe! The winner will get the chance to select a charity or person who they feel could use a pick me up, and the I ❤ San Marzano DOP team will send a gift basket to them too!