For a plant that started out in ancient history as a weed amongst the cornfields of South America, to be rooted out and tossed in the trash by the Inca farmers, the tomato has come a long way. Much has been written about the tomato’s transformation from nuisance weed to an ingredient in cooking loaded with versatility. Once introduced into Europe by the Conquistadores it gradually passed from mere curiosity to household ornament to, finally, a distinguished place at the dinner table. Also probably everyone knows that probably nowhere in the world has the Pomo d’oro – the “golden apple” – achieved such prominence and stature as in Italy, particularly in the old Kingdom of Two Sicilies – all the territory south of Rome once belonging to the French, Spanish, Normans and a host of random uninvited rulers.
Today the combination that shows up in millions of restaurants and households around the world is pasta with salsa di pomodoro. Even some popular Asian delicacies cannot be achieved without involving the tomato in some form. Tomato sauce is one of the five “mother sauces” taught by cooking schools everwhere. Can you name the other four? Think French!
I have been searching for the ultimate basic tomato sauce every since I was taken off of infant formula. As soon as I learned how to boil water (around age 29) I set out to make it on my own. Today, echoing the untimely words of a former U.S. president, I can truly say “mission accomplished.” My perfected version is a world-class preparation, even if I’m the only one who knows it so far.
Before I reveal the recipe though, you need to wade through a dissertation about this remarkable fruit of the South American vine that has earned so much affection in all of its iterations, including that of a projectile tossed by angry crowds from time to time. The backgound is of interest to me because over the years I found that the proper use of the tomato in a sauce preparation is the subject of some case and controversy, not to mention confusion and misinformation. So. . . .
Tomato 101
Two forms of tomato abound – the natural fruit – or vegetable to some, and the processed, bottled or canned items populating the supermarket shelf. Among the latter we have the paste, the puree, the juice, the canned whole and the canned crushed not to leave out the diced.
In the natural fresh category we have the grape, the cherry, the pear, the two famous plums – San Marzano and Roma – and a host of hybrid varieties such as Beefsteak, Early Girl, Heritage, hothouse, on-the-vine, and, thanks to biotech science, the Flavr-Savr, which supposedly takes forever to decompose.
Naturally one is tempted to ask, as between the two main categories – fresh and processed – which yields the best basic sauce all other things being equal. Cutting right to the chase, if you ask the Italians the answer will be the fresh-from-the-backyard-garden San Marzano. The next best, logically, would be the commercial canned version of the same. This variety is grown prolifically in southern Italy, especially in a location near Naples called – no surprise – Marzano, which also happens to be the home town of my late paternal grandmother. The plant is grown in many other places of course, including the U.S. and Mexico, but the qualified experts (i.e. the folks at the Marzano Chamber of Commerce) claim that the volcanic soil in the region has a major influence on the qualities of the final product. I would like to believe this claim, but whether it can be documented by means of a controlled taste study is an assignment for future researchers – my grandchildren maybe.
As for San Marzano’s grown in the Western Hemisphere you can cross them off the list since they lack the requisite volcanic soil.
You will notice that the canned San Marzano’s found in the supermarkets and specialty stores imported from Italy come at a premium price, often three times the price of a store brand domestic product. If you’re in a spending mood you should look for the Cento brand, which believe it or not, bears the coveted “DOP certified” indication on the label, meaning that the tomatoes contained therein are certified to come from the Marzano region of Italy. The ones without the “DOP” label, I suspect, are most likely not San Marzano’s at all, but instead are the more widely grown Roma variety. But since I have no proof I decline to accuse.
Let’s now take a look at the lineup:
All these products are local purchases from stores in my area, except for one, for which I have to chase on up to Washington, D.C. to an Italian specialty store located in the wholesale market district off New York Avenue. Guess which one requires the three-hour journey. It’s not the Cento.
Once you have assembled this collection of usual suspects the next thing to do is turn the cans around and read the labels! There is some important information for you under the heading “Nutrition Facts” and “Ingredients.” You will quickly note that the substance in the can is not just tomatoes.
Lose the skins, seeds, salt and sugar!
If you take the time to read the can’s label you will find any number of extraneous ingredients, any one of which could affect your recipe. For instance some products contain basil leaf, some contain citric acid, sugar, calcium chloride, tomato puree, and/or SALT!! The crushed tomatoes may or may not include skins, or if so they are processed to a point where they are barely detectable except to nitpickers like me.
As for the salt the the issue that concerns me is the addition of salt by the commercial processors for reasons that are inexplicably held in secrecy. I say “addition” because apparently there is a tiny but detectable amount in the natural tomato. Adding salt can’t have anything to do with preservation, since some processors to not add salt at all or add just a small amount.
To no one’s surprise it makes a difference whether the tomatoes you’re using in your sauce have a very low salt content versus, say, 360 milligrams per half cup. That’s why I have preferred to use any canned tomatoes containing low amounts of added salt. I like the idea of adding the salt myself to the recipes.
If you haven’t already figured it out the product I use most often is in the background of the photo – the big No. 10 can distributed by Domenico Vitale. You guessed it – low salt. It’s imported, comes at a good price and has the requisite sweetness so important to a great sauce. The next choice, which I buy by the case whenever I feel wealthy, is of course the Cento brand, carrying the magic DOP label of authenticity, and low salt. Both brands contain only 20 milligrams of salt per 1/2 cup and both give great results. The others contain salt ranging from 35 mg. (Rienzi) to 360 mg. (Trader Joe house brand, not pictured)
One wonders how many times a day chefs all over the world are adding salt to their simmering marinara not knowing how much was in the can to begin with!
Ok, next, (believe me we’re getting close to the recipe), Chef Ludovico studiously avoids making sauces that include tomato skins or seeds. Both add nothing to the final result and both travel merrily through the human body unaffected by the digestive process. I understand perfectly that if the sole criteria is taste, ignoring texture altogether, using tomatoes with skin and seeds included will not materially affect your score as an Iron Chef candidate. However I do care about these things and so I take the time to remove the offending items with a food mill.
Some day, when you find yourself dozing off watching Down Home With The Neely’s, get up from the couch and reach for a 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes from your shelf. Crush the tomatoes with your fingers then run them through a food mill. Now take a look at all the seeds separated from the pulp and tell me you can’t wait to eat them along with your spaghetti marinara! Repeat the exercise with the canned crushed tomatoes and tell me what you see.
Finally, the sugar. My contention is that adding sugar to the canned version or to your fresh garden tomatoes is sinful – you either failed to select a quality low salt product instead of grabbing the house-brand imitator, or you failed to taste what came out of your garden. The Domenico Vitale’s and Cento’s in my food cabinet are as sweet as can be and don’t need sugar. I never, never, never, never, never add sugar to a tomato sauce recipe, even though some of my confreres in Italy do so right in line with most U.S. cooks. Did I mention that I never add sugar??
Post Script: First, under the heading of controversy and confusion, running through hundreds of recipes one encounters references to “tomato sauce” and “marinara sauce.” At one time they were different animals based on whether a seafood ingredient is in the mix. “Marinara” refers to a seafood-based condiment and traditionally such sauces contained anchovy or shellfish of one sort or another. Plain tomato sauce has no seafood connection but over the years the terms seem to have become interchangeable, even among cooking sources in Italy. Even so, I like to think the tradition-oriented chefs in Italy try to maintain the distinction.
Second, the Cento brand with the “DOP” designation has disappeared from the store shelves locally. The label now contains only the word “certified.” Certified as to what exactly? Looking online I notice the DOP version is still available but at elevated prices.
Third and last I discovered a reference in Cucina Italiana Magazine
(Jan.-Feb. 2000 p. 67) citing a recommendation issued decades ago by Pellegrino Artusi, the Italian equivalent of France’s De la Varenne stating that all tomatoes being prepared for sauces and gravy should be strained. Wonder why.
And so now in any case, here it is, the world-class but as yet unacclaimed recipe for:
Plain Tomato (or Marinara) Sauce
For 5-6 servings
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Two 28 oz. cans whole San Marzano or Roma tomatoes, passed through a food mill (having first read the label)
- 2 or 3 cloves garlic (optional)
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1 medium red or white onion finely chopped
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1 medium carrot grated
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1 rib celery finely chopped and 1 sprig fresh celery leaves chopped
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1 splash Spanish dry sherry or 1/2 cup dry white wine (or both!)
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1 tbsp. dried oregano
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1 tbsp dried basil
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1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (also optional)
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1 tsp. red pepper flakes
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1/4 cup or so extra virgin olive oil (regular olive oil works also)
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chopped fresh basil for garnish
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salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Heat olive oil in large saute’ pan or dutch oven. Add garlic, if using, and cook until softened and translucent. Remove garlic. Add onion, carrot and chopped celery. Add sprinkle of salt to encourage softening of the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until completely softened, about 8-10 minutes stirring often. Raise heat and add sherry and/or white wine, allowing it to reduce and evaporate. Add tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, celery and red pepper flakes. Cook partially covered on low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour stirring occasionally. Cooking time will depend on water content of tomatoes. Cook down until desired consistency is obtained. Sprinkle with fresh basil and stir. Sauce can be chilled or frozen for later use and reheated.
That’s it.