Sicilian tomatoes, salt, and sun.

It’s peak tomato season on Pianogrillo farm, which means they’re busy making Sicilian tomato concentrate aka Estratto di Pomodori or strattu. From Saveur to Serious Eats, all our chef friends sing the praises of this umami powerhouse, renaming it “The Best Tomato Paste Ever”.

Sicilian tomatoes, sea salt, and sun. That’s all. Plus a final drizzle of Pianogrillo extra virgin olive oil to top it up before sealing the jar. Pianogrillo Estratto di Pomodori is so thick and concentrated that it’s basically a tomato preserve: once opened, it will keep forever in your fridge.

In the words of Lorenzo of Pianogrillo, who makes his strattu according to the recipe passed down by his family:

“This tomato concentrate is made by hand following the natural and traditional method, just like it has always been made. The deep red color is a sign of the high concentration of tomatoes that have been ripening under the Sicilian sun. Both the color and flavor profile of the tomato concentrate are so rich thanks to the traditional drying process that we use. This allows to preserve and even enhance all the natural properties of the tomatoes.”

HOW TO USE IT Dissolve a teaspoon in some water (or better white wine!) and use it as a flavor enhancer. Add it to anything you’re cooking from a pasta sauce, to a bean puree, to meat with a Mediterranean twist.

SUMMER RECIPE It wouldn’t be a true Sicilian Pasta alla Norma without the addition of tomato concentrate. Our signature recipe for the Pasta Queen of Sicilian summer will have you go back for a second round.