Crispiano Giallorosso Tomato

In the heart of the province of Taranto, surrounded by hills and ancient olive trees, the small town of Crispiano is known for the magnificent masserie that dot its surrounding countryside. These traditional farmhouses were built between the 15th and 19th centuries, and many of them have been renovated and returned to their original splendor. The local families around here used to grow a particular variety of tomato, selected centuries ago in Crispiano’s “Vallone,” the most fertile agricultural area, characterized by plots bordered by drystone walls.
The Crispiano Giallorosso Tomato (giallorosso means “yellow-red”) is round, with soft flesh and a thick, yellowish-orange skin, which never looks completely ripe. The flavor is pleasantly acidic, with a slight herbaceous aftertaste of tomato leaves. The seeds for new plants are saved from the fruits picked from the base of the plant. It is not a climbing tomato, and this makes the harvest—which starts towards the end of July and continues up until early September—more laborious. The fruits are arranged carefully in wooden crates and stored in the cellar, but they can also be tied into garlands known as nzerte and hung under the masseria’s porticoes. These so-called pomodori da serbo, tomatoes for storing, can keep throughout the winter and beyond.
Crispiano Giallorosso Tomatoes are excellent in salads, sauces and on top of frise (twice-baked ring-shaped breads), which are typically softened in water before being topped with fresh tomatoes, salt, oregano and extra-virgin olive oil.

Season

The tomatoes are harvested from the end of July to the beginning of September. The stored tomatoes are available year-round