Pachino, Datterino and Piennolo del Vesuvio: the varieties of Italian tomato

Red and tasty, tomatoes are a food that is almost impossible not to associate with Italian gastronomic culture, pizza, caprese, sauce for the thousands of pasta shapes that populate our first courses. And yet, these colorful and juicy vegetables even come from another continent, from where, centuries ago, they arrived to stay

and acclimate.

Sicily and the South in general are the first hometown of tomatoes, here facilitated by the mild and sunny climate: some of the best-known varieties of cherry tomatoes emerge from ancient Trinacria, which we will describe in today's article.

Pachino tomatoes

Children of the Pachino, Noto, Rosolini and Ispica IGP area, Pachino tomatoes are divided into four varieties — cherries, ribs, smooth round and bunches — artificially selected in the 1980s by Hazera Genetics. To recap: an American vegetable has been 'remodeled' by an Israeli company and has been a Sicilian IGP since 2003. Not bad, for a food considered common and taken for granted!

The first Pachinos also had their own name, initially: Naomi and Rita, two varieties no longer available on the market but “mothers” of the future success of these rounded delicacies, loved and appreciated all over the peninsula.

Datterini tomatoes

Of Asian origin, on the other hand, it is the cross that gave rise to the date tomato, which is sweeter, juicier and with a thicker skin than its cherry “colleagues”. Although they are not clearly separated by shapes, the dates cannot be confused with their Pachino cousins for their organoleptic characteristics, slightly different

in the subvarieties.

We then find the firefly tomatoes, weighing 35-45 grams; the Datter tomatoes, sweeter than average; the Mandurio tomato, very versatile in terms of ripening and harvest.

Piennolo del Vesuvio tomatoes

Campanian tomatoes, known for having received PDO recognition in 2009, the specimens of this Mill variety were originally distinguished for being easy to cultivate, to preserve and to consume under preservation, at a time when it was important to streamline agricultural requirements and to be able to stock up on a product.

Also called “mountain tomatoes”, they are deep-sea productions located in the metropolitan area of the city of Naples, in the municipalities of Boscoreale, Somma Vesuviana, Torre del Greco, Portici, Ercolano, Torre Annunziata, Trecase, Cercola, Ottaviano, Massa di Somma, Boscotrecase, San Giorgio a Cremano, San Giuseppe Vesuviano, San Sebastiano al Vesuvio, Terzigno, Sant'Anastasia and Pollena Trocchia.