Pomodoro San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP
Photograph · Pomodoro San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP
The story
The gold standard of canning tomatoes, elongated and fleshy with few seeds, grown in the volcanic shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
Legend says the first seeds were a gift from the Viceroy of Peru to the Kingdom of Naples in 1770, planted in the village of San Marzano sul Sarno. The unique terroir—volcanic soil rich in potassium and phosphorus—transformed the Andean fruit into an Italian icon. It is the only tomato allowed for true Pizza Napoletana DOP.
Know it
The making
Grown exclusively in the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino area near Naples. The plants are indeterminate vines that must be staked and tied manually. Harvest is strictly by hand, as the skin is delicate. They are typically canned whole in their own juice ("pelati") to preserve their flavor year-round.
The San Marzano is the only tomato allowed for true 'Pizza Napoletana DOP'. Its harvest is a community event in the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino, where families still bottle their own 'passata' for the year.
