Passata di Pomodoro is the quintessence of Italian cuisine, the first thing that every aspiring cook must learn. Here is our mini-guide in 5 points.
A good tomato sauce is the essence of Italian cuisine.
Legendary cooking writer Marcella Hazan in her "The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking," wrote: "No other preparation is more successful in delivering the prodigious satisfaction of Italian cooking than a competently executed sauce with tomatoes." Hazan, the author who taught Americans to love Italian cuisine and cook Italian food, was right! "Fare i pomodori", preparing tomato sauce stocks throughout the year, is an ancient family ritual in Italy. Almost every family during the summer (especially in the south) gathers to bottle the sauce for the year. Here are our five secrets for the perfect sauce.
1. Attention to the ingredients
When preparing the best tomato sauce for pasta, the raw materials must be absolutely excellent. Choose only the highest quality tomatoes, pasta, and olive oil. As for pasta, choose the one that comes from the Italian capital of pasta, Gragnano, in the Campania region. We recommend Rummo and Cuomo pasta, both produced in the area.
2. The color of the sauce
The perfect color of the sauce should be a vibrant red. The sauce must not have too light or too dark color. A too dark color is a sign of the bad quality of the tomato.
3. The perfect tomatoes
If you make your sauce with fresh tomatoes, the most suitable are those in clusters, round. Alternatively, the San Marzano is also perfect. Wash the tomatoes carefully, dry them and remove impurities with a small knife before cooking. Cut them in half and eliminate the seeds.
4. The secret ingredient is patience
When preparing the sauce, it is important not to be in a hurry. Some tomatoes should be cooked a little so that they maintain their aroma and fragrance: the cherry tomatoes take three minutes in a pan over high heat. For other tomatoes like the famous San Marzano, cooking must be patient and long, even two hours.
5. The right tools
It is recommended to use a steel pot. When preparing the sauce, do not forget the lid, useful not to let the sauce dry. To stir the sauce, use wooden ladles because a metallic one will change the sauce's flavor.
Moreover, if you prefer to buy ready-made sauces?
Pay attention to the products you buy. Choose quality products and find out where they come from. To guarantee our customers the highest quality products, we have selected a collection of producers that guarantee us sauces of refined quality, safe and tasty.
