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San Marzano tomatoes are the most famous plum tomato to come out of Italy. They are grown in the rich volcanic soil at the base of Mount Vesuvius, which gives them a sweet flavor and low acidity and they are coveted for their firm pulp, deep red color, easy to remove skin and low seed count. In fact while regular round tomatoes usually have four or five locules or seed pockets, plum tomatoes like those from San Marzano have only two.
In San Marzano, the tomato harvest begins in August and runs through September. The crops are very delicate and all the tomatoes are picked by hand at the peak of their ripeness. Because of the close attention to quality, many cooks consider San Marzano tomatoes to be among the best in the world to use in a sauce.
San Marzano Tomato Sauce...of Love! 

A simple but wounderful tomato sauce
Whats in it?
  • 1 – 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes (whole peeled)
  • 1 large onion, cut in half and outer peel removed
  • 1 T Olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon sugar or splenda 
Optional- Garlic, fresh herbs added in the last few moments.
Lets put it together!
  1. Place all the ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Using a spoon press each whole tomato down until it bursts.
  2. Place a cover on the pot and bring the sauce to boil for 3 minutes and then reduce the heat to a medium low. Cook the sauce on a low simmer for 45 minutes, stirring once.
  3. Spoon the sauce over your favorite pasta.


Tomato varieties...lets get slicing! 
  1. "Slicing" or "globe" tomatoes are the usual tomatoes of commerce, used for a wide variety of processing and fresh eating.
  2. Beefsteak tomatoes are large tomatoes often used for sandwiches and similar applications. Their kidney-bean shape, thinner skin, and shorter shelf life makes commercial use impractical.
  3. Oxheart tomatoes can range in size up to beefsteaks, and are shaped like large strawberries.
  4. Plum tomatoes, or paste tomatoes (including pear tomatoes), are bred with a higher solids content for use in tomato sauce andpaste, and are usually oblong.
  5. Pear tomatoes are obviously pear-shaped, and are based upon the San Marzano types for a richer gourmet paste.
  6. Cherry tomatoes are small and round, often sweet tomatoes generally eaten whole in salads.
  7. Grape tomatoes, a more recent introduction, are smaller and oblong, a variation on plum tomatoes, and used in salads.
  8. Campari tomatoes are also sweet and noted for their juiciness, low acidity, and lack of mealiness. They are bigger than cherry tomatoes, but are smaller than plum tomatoes.








Grilled Green Tomatoes Caprese
Yield: Makes 8 to 10

Whats in it?
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 2 lb.)
1 (16-oz.) package sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
 Let's put it together!

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add tomatoes, seal, and shake gently to coat. Chill 1 hour.

2. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove tomatoes from marinade, reserving marinade. Grill tomatoes, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until tender and grill marks appear.

3. Arrange alternating slices of warm grilled tomatoes and mozzarella cheese on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle with reserved marinade; season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with basil

NUTRITION FACTS
Servings: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 210
         Total Fat: 12.72g
         Cholesterol: 24mg