Campania, Italy.
The Cento production plant is located in the San Marzano region in Campania, Italy, approximately 22 miles southeast of the town of Naples. The plant sits in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, renowned for its fertile soil and temperate climate.
Are San Marzano tomatoes only grown in Italy?
Not all canned tomatoes from Italy are San Marzano, and, to make things more confusing, San Marzano tomatoes grow outside of Italy, too. In fact, they are now also grown in the U.S., and their seeds are widely available, which means you could grow San Marzano tomatoes in your vegetable patch.
Can you buy fresh San Marzano tomatoes in the US?
Most of the major grocery stores will have San Marzano style or Italian style tomatoes at least, but few seem to have legit ones. Your best bet is looking for an Italian grocery store in your area or a store that has a large selection of Italian food.
What is so special about Marzano tomatoes?
They are prized in Italy and across the world for their thick flesh and sweet flavour. The tomatoes also have a lower water content and fewer seeds than some others, which makes them a great choice for canning and using whole in rich tomato pasta and pizza sauces.
How do you know if a San Marzano tomato is real?
Authentic San Marzano tomatoes can be identified by the D.O.P. symbol (Protected Designation of Origin, shown below, bottom right) Certified product will be labeled as San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese – Nocerino and will have the proper certified designations on the can (shown below, bottom left).
Can you grow San Marzano tomatoes in the US?
While the San Marzano type of tomato can indeed grow in the United States and other places, only those certified as having been grown near Mount Vesuvius in Italy are the very best. Be as careful when selecting your canned San Marzanos as you would when selecting an olive oil or fine coffee.
Are Cento real San Marzano tomatoes?
Cento Certified San Marzano Tomatoes have always been, and continue to be grown and produced in the area known as Sarnese Nocerino of Italy.
Can you eat San Marzano tomatoes raw?
San Marzano tomatoes boast a unique flavor – sweet but tart – which make them suitable both to be eaten raw, or cooked into sauce.
Are Hunt’s San Marzano tomatoes real?
Hunt’s San Marzano Style tomatoes are steam-peeled and all-natural, prepared without GMOs.
What are the best canned tomatoes from Italy?
San Marzanos are the best canned tomatoes in the world, the crème de la crème, the gold standard by which all others must be judged. Back in the day, hunting down a can of them took time and effort; nowadays, you’ll find a few different varieties on the shelves in most supermarkets.
What kind of tomatoes do Italians use for spaghetti?
If using fresh tomatoes, you can never go wrong with a good Roma tomato for spaghetti sauce. Romas are good, meaty tomatoes with few seeds and cook down well into a sauce after they are heated.
Are Roma and San Marzano tomatoes the same?
San Marzano tomatoes are longer and thinner than the Roma, and have a stronger, sweeter flavour and are most notably grown in San Marzano sul Sarno, Italy (near Naples) – some of the first San Marzano tomatoes were originally grown in nutrient-rich volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
Why do San Marzano tomatoes taste better?
Out of all that devastation comes the beauty of San Marzanos. It’s that volcanic soil and the microclimate—fanned with sea breezes from the Gulf of Naples—that accounts for their prized balanced flavor and tomato-iness.
Do San Marzano tomatoes need to be peeled?
Personally, I like a little texture in my pasta sauce, and don’t mind the peels. If you want to peel your fresh tomatoes before making this sauce, check the recipe card notes for peeling directions. If you’re using canned tomatoes, they should already be peeled.
How do you tell if canned tomatoes are from Italy?
First, check the labels.
First, does it say “Product of Italy” or “Certified Product of Italy”? That is the first thing you can look for. It also helps if some of the words are in Italian. Look for the words “pomodoro” or “pomodori”, which is “tomato” in Italian.
What canned tomatoes are from Italy?
One of our Test Kitchen’s favorite pantry basics is canned San Marzano tomatoes. San Marzanos are different than other types of tomatoes. These plum tomatoes are grown in a certain part of Italy and are renowned for their sweet flavor and mild acidity.
What does DOP mean on tomatoes?
Protected Designation of Origin
DOP Denominazioned’ Origine Protetta meaning Protected Designation of Origin. To receive the certification, tomato farmers must follow multiple, specific guidelines. Starting with the seeds of the tomatoes, they must date back to the original strain of San Marzano tomato.
Can you freeze San Marzano tomatoes?
What kinds of tomatoes are best for freezing? The best tomatoes to freeze are plum, San Marzano or Roma tomatoes as they have less water and are more meaty. However, all ripe tomatoes can be frozen successfully.
How many tomatoes will a San Marzano plant produce?
100 fruits
San Marzano tomatoes will be ready for picking in August and harvesting will continue until the first frost in your area. There will be about 100 fruits per plant, so plan on making frequent trips to your garden.
Are San Marzano tomatoes pesticide free?
Cento Certified San Marzano Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes are grown and processed in Italy without the use of any pesticides or food additives.
Are Cento San Marzano tomatoes good quality?
San Marzano tomatoes are widely recognized by top chefs, Italian cooks and food aficionados as the gold standard for taste. At Cento, we go to great lengths in monitoring our planting, growing and harvesting processes to ensure our tomatoes retain the world-renowned flavor that makes them so special.