Penne all'arrabbiata, gnocchi alla sorrentina, rigatoni all'amatriciana, Tuscan gnudi, culurgiones, pasta alla norma or the legendary "pappa al pomodoro" as Rita Pavone sang in 1965. All these dishes are based on one of the cornerstones of Italian gastronomy: the tomato sauce. It is precisely in these last days of summer that the bubbling of preserves, the tolling of bottles and the scent of fresh basil can be heard in Italian homes. But the sauce is much more than just a recipe. It is history, tradition, identity, sharing but also an art. A rite that belongs above all to Southern Italy, but which has conquered many regions of our country, each with its own traditions and ways of making it, also called differently depending on where it is prepared: salsa, pummarola, passata or gravy.
Whatever name you want to call it, tomato sauce cannot be missing from the pantries of Italians. There are different methods and recipes, but we can distinguish two: one typical of north center and one of south center. The first is prepared with sautéed celery, carrot and onion, to which the tomatoes are then added, crushed and brought to the boil. While the latter is prepared only with garlic and the tomatoes are added and browned whole over medium heat and crushed only at the end of cooking.
La processing of tomato preserves it has always represented an almost sacred rite that has passed through generations, with grandmothers ready every Sunday at dawn to prepare this simple sauce with a great flavour. Waking up with the smell of tomatoes, big pots on the fire, strainers and glass jars during the ripening period of the vegetable, where each member took part to produce the red juice which would then be enough for the rest of the year, with grandparents as orchestra conductors and the younger ones initiated into this art to be handed down over time. An ancient tradition that seemed to have faded but with the pandemic from Covid-19 is returning to shine again, representing a moment of comfort and sharing especially in the months of lockdown. And just in the last year and a half, Italians have rediscovered the flavor and pleasure of traditional Italian dishes, such as tomato sauce.
History and origins of tomato puree
Il tomato landed in the West for the first time in the 500th century, after the discovery of the New World in 1492. Known as “Tomatl”, its Aztec name, the tomato was later also called “love apple” because it was considered an aphrodisiac or d'oro” (subsequently modified into pommarola by the Neapolitans) due to the yellow color variety which was very common in those times. Initially, among the products imported from the Americas, the tomato did not immediately conquer public opinion, undermined in the ranking by potatoes and chili peppers, so much so that it was cultivated purely for ornamental purposes. Subsequently, the Mediterranean climate proved to be optimal for its cultivation, especially in the South and its being cheap and easily available made it much loved by ordinary people.
The first time the tomato appeared in an Italian recipe book was in Naples at the end of the 600s when Antonio Latini, court cook of the Spanish Viceroy in the Neapolitan capital, published his collection of recipes. Even if no combination with pasta: tomato and pasta have not yet met on the table. Starting from the 700th century, the tomato began to spread more and more in our country, also in the form of preserves. The first to start this practice were the farmers of Parma who left the tomatoes in the sun to dry them.
Instead, the first work that proposed the use of tomato sauce is "The gallant cook" by the Neapolitan Vincenzo corrado in 1773. It was only in the 800th century that tomato began to be added to pasta. In 1839, Ippolito Calvanti publishes his volume "Home cooking in Neapolitan dialect", where the sauce made with simple ingredients appears for the first time: salt, pepper, oil and obviously fresh tomatoes. After that, more complex variants begin to spread, with very long cooking times, such as ragù. A few decades later, tomato sauce comes to "contaminate" another much loved dish: the Team Building. In the meantime, the tomato and in particular the tomato sauce from Naples spread to the rest of Italy.
Strapassata 2021: the first amateur contest
Strapassata 2021 is the first Italian championship of homemade tomato sauce organized by Three Swords, an Italian manufacturer of equipment for food processing and preservation. To participate, just sign up from July 1st to September 15th by filling in the appropriate registration "form", attaching the recipe and a photo, publishing it on your Facebook or Instagram profile, with the hashtag #strapassata and the mention @trespadeofficial. The competition is open to all and was created to celebrate the ceremonial of the past by assigning an award to the following 5 categories: best traditional recipe, best creative recipe, best photo or video of the recipe, best atmosphere during preparation, best recipe made by a single.
Ratings will be based on 4 criteria: ingredients, preparation method, conservation method and storytelling. The best 20 recipes which will distinguish themselves for the aforementioned criteria will be collected and published in the "Special Recipe Book" published by Tre Spade and will be awarded 4 company products: the electric tomato squeezer, chili pepper grinder, pepper grinder and salt grinder. A competition to rediscover the authentic taste of local cuisine and put all our Italian spirit to the test.
