From Bolognese sauce to lasagna to parmigiana, it is virtually impossible to imagine Italian cuisine without the tomato. Yet as with chili peppers in India, potatoes in Ireland, and peanuts in Southeast Asia, Italians have only had tomatoes for a few hundred years. Before the Columbian Exchange, no one in Italy had heard of this fruit. By learning how the tomato became a part of it, you can understand Italian cuisine’s truly international character:
Lifted From Latin America
The tomato was originally cultivated in Central and South America, where the Aztecs and other pre-Columbian civilizations had used it in their dishes for centuries. The word “tomato” comes from the Nahuatl “tomatl,” meaning “fruit.” When the Spanish Empire conquered the region, they brought the tomato back to Europe along withother local fruits, vegetables, and animals.
Though it is not known exactly when the tomato reached Italy, it must have been some time before 1544, when Italian author Pietro Matthioli wrote about it. Matthioli, however, believed that the fruit was poisonous. For this reason, Italians were slow to adapt it into their cooking, instead using tomato plants for decoration. In 1548, a Tuscan steward described the tomato as a “pomi d’oro” or “golden fruit;” this led to the modern Italian word for the food, “pomodoro.”
Early Eating
Despite the initial assumption that they were poisonous, tomatoes gradually made their way into Italian cooking. This was in part due to the influence of Spain, which controlled much of southern Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries. Spaniards taught Italians to fry tomatoes in a pan along with onions, squash, and eggplant, creating a dish similar to modern ratatouille. The fruit became popular in part because of its ability to flavor food, no small matter at a time when spices were expensive and hard to find.
By the 18th century, Italians had begun experimenting with tomato conservation methods. By boiling them and then sealing them into tight containers, they could keep the fruits in good condition throughout the year.
Tomatoes truly hit their stride in the 19th century, when Margherita pizza, pasta al pomodoro, and other staples of modern Italian cuisine came into vogue. Just as these dishes were becoming popular, Italy began its process of unification, helping to spread them and other cooking techniques more evenly across the country. It was also at this time that the Diaspora started, with Italians traveling to Brazil, Argentina, the United States, and other countries. This established Italy’s global reputation for cooking delicious tomato dishes.
For more information on the history of Italy’s delicious cuisine, or to try that cuisinefor yourself, contact L’Amore Italian Restaurant today.
FAQs
Originating in Peru of all places, tomatoes were first brought to Europe by Spanish Conquistadors in the middle of the 1500's. At the time, the mystery fruit was called “tomatl” in Spanish. As far as we know, the first recorded Italian eye-witness account of what was later known as a tomato is from Tuscany in 1548.
Why do Italians call tomatoes pomodoro? ›
Wary yet much enamoured by the tomato's exotic beauty, the supposed aphrodisiac qualities it bore, and the tomato's radiant colouring (the first varieties were yellower in hue), Mattioli dubbed the fruit “pomo d'oro”–golden apple. The name persists today.
What does pomodoro mean in Italian tomato? ›
“Pomodoro” means “tomato” in Italian, referring to the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that the Pomodoro Technique's inventor, Francesco Cirillo, used to develop his method during his college years.
What is the history of tomatoes in cooking? ›
The first evidence of domestication points to the Aztecs and other peoples in Mesoamerica, who used the fruit fresh and in their cooking. The Spanish first introduced tomatoes to Europe, where they became used in Spanish food. In France, Italy and northern Europe, the tomato was initially grown as an ornamental plant.
What did Italians eat before tomatoes? ›
Italian cuisine at the time was very similar to that of other Mediterranean countries with plant-based staples being bread, pasta, olives and beans. Dishes were flavored with onion, garlic and peppers.
Why are tomatoes called the devil's fruit? ›
Tomatoes received quite a chilly reception in Italy and were believed to be harmful to the body. Because of their vivid red hue, some Italians even called them the 'devil's fruit'. The fact that nobody knew how to use them and make them edible, only added to this notion.
Why do tomatoes taste better in Italy? ›
Italy is an optimal climate for growing tomatoes with long, hot summers and abundant sunshine. Over the centuries, they've been grown in areas of Italy that optimize tomato production and quality. Certain tomato varieties grow best in certain areas, and because of this some now have IGP or DOP status.
Are pomodoro tomatoes the same as San Marzano tomatoes? ›
Also known as pomodori pelati (literally "peeled tomatoes"), San Marzano tomatoes are grown in a small area around Naples. The variety has been awarded a DOP by the EU, which specifies the precise cultivar, processing method and region in which the tomatoes can be grown.
What is the crazy tomato in Italian? ›
Pazzo Pomodoro which in Italian translates to Crazy Tomato, albeit backwards.
What is the history of the tomato pomodoro? ›
In 1548, a Tuscan steward described the tomato as a “pomi d'oro” or “golden fruit;” this led to the modern Italian word for the food, “pomodoro.” Despite the initial assumption that they were poisonous, tomatoes gradually made their way into Italian cooking.
Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 🍅) This popular time management method asks you to alternate pomodoros — focused work sessions — with frequent short breaks to promote sustained concentration and stave off mental fatigue. Here at Todoist, we know the daily grind can be exhausting.
What does pomodoro mean in Italian? ›
noun. tomato [noun] a type of fleshy, juicy fruit, usually red, used in salads, sauces etc. tomato [noun] the plant which bears these. (Translation of pomodoro from the PASSWORD Italian–English Dictionary © 2014 K Dictionaries Ltd)
Why did Italians originally not eat tomatoes? ›
But while today we think of tomatoes as inextricably linked to Italian food, that hasn't always been the case. In fact, it was only during the 19th century that tomatoes really hit the tables of the Bel Paese. Before that, it was widely thought they were poisonous.
Are tomatoes originally from Italy? ›
Few foods encapsulate the flavor of Italy quite like the pomodoro, or what we call the tomato in English. But as iconic as the tomato is to Italian cuisine, it wasn't always that way. The tomato came from the Americas, and it was only introduced to Italy in the 15th or 16th century.
Did Jews bring tomatoes to Italy? ›
She writes about the contribution of the Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal. Fleeing the Inquisition in the 1490s, they brought with them tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. Even such present-day Italian staples as rice, artichokes and eggplant, introduced by the Arabs in Sicily, were first adopted by Jewish cooks.
How important are tomatoes to Italy? ›
Tomatoes are a product of primary importance for the Mediterranean diet, as well as for Italian food culture. An important part of many classic recipes of the Italian culinary tradition, in its thousands of regional variants, the tomato is one of the global symbols of Made in Italy products.
What is the special tomato from Italy? ›
San Marzano is both a type of tomato and a region in Italy. The San Marzano tomato is a type of plum tomato, but it's longer and thinner than the typical plum tomato you might see sold fresh in grocery stores or buy canned; it also has a more obvious pointed tip and fewer seeds.
What is the history of Roma tomatoes? ›
The oblong-shaped Roma (or "plum") tomato was developed in 1955 in Beltsville, MD, by ARS scientist William Porte. It was bred from the San Marzano and Red Top varieties to resist wilt and pests and grow well in different climates.
