Thursday, April 3, 2008

Pomodoraccio: Naughty or Nice?

I have no idea why these delicious tomatoes were given such a name! Pomodoro means tomato in Italian; the suffix –accio has a negative connotation, as in naughty, nasty, contrary, rascally, unruly, etc. etc. and this label is totally undeserved!

Pomodoraccio are hand-harvested Roma tomatoes that are “semi” sun-dried, then packed in oil and spices – and they’re lovely. Their texture is velvety and smooth, and their flavor is much milder and sweeter than the usual sun-dried tomato. You can eat them straight from the jar, or use them in a whole variety of ways: they’re very versatile and make a wonderful pantry staple.

Put Pomodoraccio – whole or sliced - directly from the jar onto an antipasto plate; toss them – along with some of their marinade – with freshly-cooked pasta; or you can top a pizza or make a super-simple bruschetta with soft goat cheese. Try blending them into your favorite mayonnaise for a delicious sandwich condiment, or even put them “straight” on your sandwich, as you would fresh tomatoes, but with an extra kick. I recently chopped a few and added them to a can of store-bought tomato sauce, which immediately softened its sharp edges.

All in all, I think these beauties deserve a new name!

Tutti a Tavola!

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