Yes, the San Marzano heirloom is a true Italian variety passed down for over a century. Farmers near Mount Vesuvius have grown these tomatoes since the 1700s. The seeds stayed pure through careful saving. You can grow the same tomato that Italian cooks have used for generations.
I made my first batch of sauce with San Marzano tomatoes about five years ago. The difference from store-bought paste types hit me right away. The flesh was thick and meaty with almost no water to cook off. My sauce came together in half the time with a sweet depth I never tasted before.
Now I grow at least ten San Marzano plants each summer just for sauce making. The flavor beats anything I can buy in cans at the store. Friends and family ask for jars every fall and I can never make enough to keep up with what they want.
You'll find San Marzano holds a special place among Italian heirloom tomatoes. Italy gave it DOP status to protect the name and the seeds. Only tomatoes from volcanic soil near Naples can use this label. Seeds from these areas give you the best flavor for your sauce.
The tomatoes have a long plum shape with a pointed tip at the bottom. Their thick walls hold very few seeds compared to other paste tomato varieties. The flesh stays firm even when your fruits are fully ripe. Lower acidity gives them a sweeter taste that works great in cooked dishes.
When you compare paste tomato varieties side by side, San Marzano stands out fast. Roma types have more water and need longer cooking times in your pot. Amish Paste grows bigger but lacks that same sweet depth. San Marzano gives you more usable flesh per fruit than almost any other variety.
Growing San Marzano for sauce takes some planning on your part. Your plants need warm soil above 60°F (15°C) before you transplant them out. They grow as tall vines that keep making tomatoes all season. Give them stakes or cages because heavy fruit clusters can weigh down your branches.
Water your plants deep but not too often for the best flavor. Let your soil dry a bit between waterings to pack more sugars into your fruits. Pick tomatoes when they turn deep red all the way through. Any green at the stem end means they need more time on the vine.
San Marzano for sauce makes the work of canning worth every minute you spend. Core and blanch your ripe fruits, then slip off the skins. The flesh breaks down smooth without much effort at all. You'll taste the difference in your pasta dishes all winter long.
Read the full article: Best Heirloom Tomato Varieties to Grow
