Tomatoes for pizza – San Marzano and the alternatives
What the DOP label on San Marzano tins means, which tomatoes are worth the money and how to make the sauce without cooking away the fresh tomato flavour.
Quick answer: San Marzano DOP is the protected designation for tomatoes grown in a specific volcanic farming area near Naples – but the DOP label is often misused in the shops. Mutti and other Italian quality brands without DOP are often a safer and cheaper choice than a dubious ”San Marzano” tin.
The DOP label and the fakes around it
Genuine San Marzano DOP requires a consortium number and certification mark on the tin – without them it is just a tomato variety grown somewhere else, not a protected San Marzano. International investigations have repeatedly found tins labelled ”San Marzano” on sale that do not meet the requirements. So read the small print on the tin, not just the big name on the front.
What you actually want
Look for good-quality whole, crushed or puréed tomatoes with a high dry-matter content and little added water or juice in the tin – whether that is genuine San Marzano DOP or another serious Italian brand such as Mutti. Avoid tins with lots of liquid; that gives a watery sauce.
The sauce needs no cooking
The Neapolitan base needs nothing more than crushed tomatoes, salt and sometimes a splash of olive oil – no cooking. See the full method in tomato sauce. Recipes built on a simple, clean tomato flavour: marinara and margherita.
