The Tomato is an integral part of Italian Cooking, much like garlic, olive oil and aged cheese. Our day revolved around this glorious orb. Every year around this time, Italians everywhere are making the most of the tomato harvest. Preserving and canning, we are able to make certain the taste of summer lasts all year through.
We were able to visit a local farm cooperative, which is relatively new to the area. The idea is for farmers to come together in community and process their items together, creating an Orsara brand product. What a fascinating way to display community and work together for the betterment of the land and produce.
Afterwards, Peppe brought us into his kitchen to help with his yearly canning process. For some this is a first time event and for others a chance to glean new methods to try at home. The tomatoes are cleaned, scored, hot bathed, skins removed, and cooked down. Then they are put into sanitized jars and sealed. In our household, the goal was to can at least one quart jar for every week in the year. Then for special occasions you added a few more quarts and you were stocked. These tomatoes, simply in their own juices, fresh basil, parsley and a dash of salt, would become the base for a multitude of sauces and soups. To see the cellar shelves stocked with clear glass jars of tomatoes is most satisfying. The process at Peppe Zullo's is similar and the kitchen space and efficiency can't be beat.
To enjoy the fruits of our labor, we were able to take our fresh made sauce and utilize it in a variety of ways. As you can see, the long list of items below is a testament!
The Menu:
- Mini pastries filled with ricotta cheese, herbs and fresh tomato puree
- Warm focaccia with fresh tomato sauce and basil
- Black pig stuffed figs
- Open faced calzones, again with fresh tomato, herbs and vegetables
- Pasta in a very simple tomato sauce and seasonal herbs
- Baked pasta with tomatoes
- Roasted Rabbit accompanied by roasted potatoes
- Semi freddo di frutta
As you can see, there is no shortage of "simple food for intelligent people", one of Peppe's sayings.
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