Così Com'è: Campania Datterino Tomatoes, Jarred as They Are

In 2017, Eataly chefs in Italy spent months testing more than 40 tomato products from our shelves to build the perfect spaghetto al pomodoro. They could choose only one star ingredient: an unpeeled datterino variety from a small Italian producer called Così Com'è.

As they are

Così Com'è means "as they are." The tomatoes come from Fianagricola, a small 24-farm cooperative dedicated to local produce varieties. Nine members manage 740 acres across the fertile Piana del Sale of Campania in southern Italy. The cooperative was founded with one mission: to guarantee a pure, traceable Italian product from seed to label.

From seed to vine to jar

Seed. The cooperative selects only the best seeds of small heirloom varieties like datterino and pizzutello, which have a more concentrated, sweeter flavor. The seeds are planted in nursery greenhouses.

Vine. Once sprouted, the plants move directly to the surrounding fields and grow under the Mediterranean sun. No plot is bigger than 12 acres, so farmers can monitor every growth phase. A dispenser regulates the daily water supply according to the plant's phase, and the flowers are pollinated naturally by bumble bees only. Vertical supports help the vines climb toward the sun, and the more sun the tomatoes get, the more natural sugars they produce.

Jar. The yield is smaller, but farmers pick by hand so only the best tomatoes are harvested at peak ripeness. Shortly after picking, the tomatoes are jarred to preserve freshness, with no added sugar. All packaging, from glass to tin, is made in Italy.

Sweet by nature

The Brix index measures the sweetness of fruit and vegetables. Common tomato varieties average 4.5°. Così Com'è pizzutello, red datterino and yellow datterino tomatoes measure 6-7°, 7-10° and 9-12° respectively, with a balance of acidity and sugars.

How to enjoy them

Eataly uses Così Com'è tomatoes for fresh pasta sauces like its spaghetto al pomodoro. They also work straight from the jar. "You don't need to cook them — they're so fresh tasting," says Michael Nogera, Executive Chef of Eataly NYC Flatiron.

Find a variety of Così Com'è tomatoes in Eataly stores and online.