Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio

Among the most characteristic products from the Vesuvius area are the cherry tomatoes (pomodorini in Italian) with a pointed tip (“col pizzo”), also known as spongilli or piennoli (“pendulums”) because the tomatoes are commonly hung up in bunches tied with hemp string. Their flavor and fragrance become more intense and concentrated as time passes and the tomatoes dry out. Small and cherry-shaped, they can be distinguished from Pachino cherry tomatoes by the two grooves running down the sides and the pointed tip. The skin is thick and tough and the flesh firm and compact, not very juicy but intensely flavorful.