• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs/Events
  • About
    • Published Articles
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

Making tomato concentrate in Sicily

September 28, 2022 Leave a Comment Filed Under: Food, Italian food, Italy, Recipes, Travel, Vegetarian

Whenever I visit Sicily, I buy plastic vacuum packs of tomato concentrate, ‘stratto’, in the local market. It’s a whole other story to the slightly metallic commercial tomato paste you usually buy in shops. The flavour is intense, sunny and full of umami. Come the summer, once the tomatoes are ripe, every Sicilian household makes their own tomato concentrate or sauce. This is how they have fruity, sweet tomato sauce for the entire year.


I am staying near Ragusa in a family farmhouse and guest house called Tenuta Cammarana. Owners Silvia La Padula and Guiseppe Pulvirenti, an architect and a sculptor, live the winter in Rome and from April in Sicily. The house is beautifully styled, with cookbooks and art books in the library, local ingredients such as the daily freshly-made still-warm ricotta from a neighbouring farming family ( I tasted it from the copper pot simmering on a fire) and the almond granita with brioche, delivered every afternoon by their own personal ice cream man. Granita and gelato are socially acceptable as breakfast or lunch in Sicily, it’s often too hot to eat anything else.


Tenuta Cammarana make their own olive oil and grow carob trees, which they transport to a local cooperative to be used in pharmaceuticals or made into syrup.

Silvia showed me how to make a refreshing drink from jasmine flowers, a local recipe that adds ten of the heavily scented flowers to a litre of water. In short it’s a foodie paradise, with beautiful countryside and gorgeous stylish interiors, using her vintage finds from markets in Rome and Modica. Her garden droops with pomegranate, feijoa, prickly pear, hawthorn and olive trees, tiny chillies in bouquets, scented herbs; you can take an outdoor shower under an almond tree then lounge around at the pool while drinking Aperol Spritz and nibbling on small fried pizzete.

carob
Jasmine flower


To make the tomato concentrate, special terracotta majolica dishes with a blue and yellow tin glaze, known in dialect as ‘fanguotto’, are used. These absorb the heat and aid in dehydrating the tomatoes. I’ve also seen it made on large wooden tables.

Italians have tomato grinders like British households have electric kettles and toasters. It’s just as basic and essential! You will need one, either electric or manual, for this recipe.


The Sicilians use two types of tomato: Rico di Parma, like beef heart tomatoes, and Piccadilly, more like plum tomatoes, which are native to Southern Italy despite their British-sounding name. If they consider the tomatoes too acidic, they will add a local white onion, enormous in size, from Giarratana village.

Once the paste is prepared, it need to be dried in the sun, which is no problem in Sicily. This summer in the UK, we’ve had the kind of relentless sunshine and lack of rain which is perfect for this recipe.

Local grandmother Sebastiana and owner Silvia laid out a white netting fabric over the table containing the fanguotto dishes, knotting it underneath, almost as a bridal veil. It felt like a sacred routine.


Print

Sun dried Sicilian tomato concentrate 'Stratto'.

Cuisine Italian, Sicilian
Keyword Siciian Stratto, Smoked tomatoes, Tomato concentrate, Tomato purée

Ingredients

  • 3 kilos fresh ripe tomatoes, washed
  • 1/2 white onion (optional)
  • 3 tsps sea salt

Instructions

  • Cut up the tomatoes into chunks, taking out any damaged bits and the hard core. Add the onion.
  • Put the tomatoes, onion and salt in a large saucepan on a medium heat, keeping the lid on to bring it up to boiling temperature. Removing the lid once it is boiling. You are trying to reduce and extract the water from the tomatoes
  • Using a tomato grinding machine, pour the mixture through, which separates the juice from the fibre of the tomatoes.
  • Do this three times.
  • Pour the juice into the shallow terracotta dishes.
    Lay the three wide dishes in the sun, covering with cheesecloth or netting to keep off the insects, stirring occasionally.
  • Bring the dishes in at night or if it rains. In August, this should take three days. Eventually the tomato juice shrinks and fills only one dish.
  • Scoop it into clean glass jars and top with olive oil. You can also vacuum pack the tomato concentrate.
  • This can be used in sauces, in stews or on toast. The stratto is so delicious I will even use it directly spooned onto hot freshly cooked pasta as a sauce in itself.

Print

Cernia alla Matalotta

A local Sicilian fish dish using grouper or sea bream. This is a recipe from Guiseppe's mother.
Course Fish dish, Main Course
Cuisine Fish, Sicilian
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 large Grouper or Sea Bream fish, cleaned
  • 1/2 glass white wine
  • 1 tbsp stratto tomato concentrate, diluted in a glass of water

Instructions

  • Take a large deep frying pan and heat the olive oil on a medium heat
  • Add the onion, garlic and salt. Fry for a few minutes until the onion is golden
  • Place the fish in the pan and let it brown on both sides.
  • Pour in the white wine, let it evaporate.
  • Add the 'stratto'.
  • Continue to cook the fish for 15 minutes with the lid on.
  • Serve hot.
almonds


Print

Pesto alla trapanese

This is a Sicilian almond pesto from Trapani. You can also make it without the tomato paste.
Course Main Course, Pasta dish, Vegetarian main course
Cuisine Italian, Sicilian
Keyword Pesto Trapanese
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 50 g fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tbsps Stratto tomato paste
  • 50 g almonds
  • 1 tbsp grated pecorino
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3 tbsps olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • basil and pine nuts for garnishing

Instructions

  • Blend all the ingredients together.
  • Cook any pasta in boiling salted water, then drain, stirring in the pesto while the pasta is hot.
  • Garnish with pine nuts and basil leaves

Recent posts

Soup recipes for a broken arm

February 26, 2025

The future of farming

January 20, 2025

Poppy seed kifli pic: KERSTIN RODGERS

Hungarian poppy seed pastry ‘Kifli’ recipe

November 5, 2024

Previous Post: « The queue to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state
Next Post: Two recipes to recreate your own Oktoberfest »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover

msmarmitelover

@camilleosullivapics and @grahnort @wiltonsmusicha @camilleosullivapics and @grahnort @wiltonsmusichall god this woman is talented. She did a solo show of The Rape of Lucrece. Her voice! #theatre #shakespeare #london
My latest article on Hungarian cuisine, a unique m My latest article on Hungarian cuisine, a unique meeting of east and west, for @ckbk It's a blend of Ottoman, Eastern and middle European, Austro-Hungarian empire and cowboy food. #food&travel #foodanthropology #hungary
Made Fermented Cucumber dill pickles from @nickvad Made Fermented Cucumber dill pickles from @nickvadasz book The Pickle Jar. At @katzsdeli in New York they sell half sours and full sours. I reckon these are 3/4 sour. The white mould is fine btw. These are delicious #pickleperson #fermentation #guthealthy
London in bloom: wisteria, cherry blossom, lilac, London in bloom: wisteria, cherry blossom, lilac, plum blossom, 🌸 you don’t need to go to Japan for the Sakura season- it’s all here- london at its most beautiful. #london
Bluebell walk on Wanstead flats. The scent is incr Bluebell walk on Wanstead flats. The scent is incredible: similar to lily of the valley. These are actual English bluebells - a deeper colour & more delicate than Spanish bluebells which are rather invasive. #london #walks #april #bluebells
Snapshots from portobello rd market. Portuguese fo Snapshots from portobello rd market. Portuguese folar de pascua bread from Lisboa patisserie,  a gorgeous mosaic table from Fez, my favourite antique shop @muirshindurkin, Alice’s shop, an Easter hat, the best wisteria I wrote a substack on portobello road: https://open.substack.com/pub/kerstinrodgers/p/where-to-go-in-portobello-road-the?r=3873k&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true #london
I visited @tokyobagellondon with my granddaughter I visited @tokyobagellondon with my granddaughter yesterday to try one of their viral wobbly bunnies. We also tried the multi layer Oreo pancake cakes, the onigiri shaped croissant. My sister had the black sesame latte and I had yuzu tea. I spent £35 in a short space of time as each dessert was £5 but it was a fun experience. Ophelia said ‘lovely flowers’ which shows a degree of sophistication for a 2 year old. I preferred the strawberry to the coconut flavour . #londondaysout #grandmacore #easter
A quick high protein lunch of ratatouille with smo A quick high protein lunch of ratatouille with smoked tofu.  @pomoragoodfood olive oil then an aubergine cut into thick slices then quartered. Fry till translucent then add the chunks of red pepper. 2 fat garlic cloves sliced thinly, a block of smoked tofu in chunks, 2 bay leaves, a small handful of maldon salt. A courgette cut into thick half lengthways- then sliced into half moons. I might chuck in a handful of pantelleria capers in vinegar to give some acidity. Serve hot or cold. #sololunch #protein #vegetables
Inspired by @nickvadasz book The pickle Jar I used Inspired by @nickvadasz book The pickle Jar I used his dill pickles to make one of my favourite recipes for lunch - a potato, sour cream & pickle soup. Recipe on the blog. #soup #pickles
One of my favourite ways to eat mushrooms. Cook wh One of my favourite ways to eat mushrooms. Cook whole button mushrooms in olive oil, lemon juice, a little white wine vinegar, salt, bay leaves, whole coriander seeds, thyme, and white wine if you have it to hand. I used @pomoragoodfood olive oil. You can eat it straight away or leave it to marinate longer and eat the next day. #vegetarian #vegan #mushroomrecipe
Table side Caesar salad @maisonfrancois for @sienn Table side Caesar salad @maisonfrancois for @siennamarla birthday 🎂 #london #restaurants #caesarsalad
I went to sheffield to visit the @reclaimedbrickco I went to sheffield to visit the @reclaimedbrickcompany to look at their hand cut, wire cut and tumbled bricks for a herringbone patio. I love the historical aspect of bricks, the different quarries from different parts of the country. #patio #englishhistory story
Made brussel sprouts with pistachio pesto. The pis Made brussel sprouts with pistachio pesto. The pistachios came from Brontë in Sicily- they are the best pistachios in the world. You can make pesto with any nut: it’s usually with pine nuts but I’ve used hazelnuts, almonds (trapani), walnuts. #vegetarian #pesto #bronte
Bathroom palette: @firedearthuk scallop tiles @top Bathroom palette: @firedearthuk scallop tiles @toppstiles honed white marble skirting and dado @paintandpaperlibrary paint @sanderson1860 wallpaper this is my first rodeo when it comes to bathroom design. Follow my progress
Yesterday I cooked ( needed help with heavy pans a Yesterday I cooked ( needed help with heavy pans and pouring) pesto alle genovese. Made pesto in the vitamix: fresh basil leaves, 4 cloves garlic, 100g pecorino, 100g pine nuts, 150ml olive oil, salt, and juice of half a lemon. Whizz up.  Then cook the pasta - traditional shape is trofie but I only had fusilli. Top with small boiled potatoes and steamed green beans. Douse again with olive oil and more pine nuts. I served this with green salad with cucumber, avocado, pumpkin seeds and a mustard lemon olive oil dressing. #familylunch #sundaylunch #pestopasta #pestgenovese
Unstyled food photos no.4: butternut squash soup. Unstyled food photos no.4: butternut squash soup. Peel and cut up the butternut squash. Discard the seeds. Roast with olive oil, salt, smoked paprika in the oven for 30 minutes. Soften 2 brown onions in a deep pan with olive oil, add 3 cloves garlic minced, 3 bay leaves. Then add the veg stock powder and 1.5 litres hot water to the pan. Stir. Pour in the roast butternut squash. Cook for 10 minutes. Then remove the bay leaves and blend. Add 3 large scoops of natural yoghurt or skyr. Season to taste. Transfer back to the deep pan and serve with grated cheese, pumpkin seeds, chilli. 🌶️ #vitamix #soup #winterfood #agacooking
Unstyled food photos #3: roast cauliflower & garli Unstyled food photos #3: roast cauliflower & garlic cheese soup. Roast the cauliflower florets, unpeeled garlic cloves, one chopped brown onion in olive oil. Once golden, tip into a saucepan with a potato chopped small, 3 tbsps veg stock and 1.5 litres hot water. Boil till soft the. Add 100g cheddar. Stir then blend in a blender. Serve with grated cheese on top. #soup #vitamix #winterfood #cookingwithonehand #simplerecipes
Unstyled food photos: whole roast cauliflower with Unstyled food photos: whole roast cauliflower with ground almond crust, yoghurt, cumin, lemon juice and tahini sauce using @pomoragoodfood olive oil. First I parboiled the cauliflower then roasted it for 30 to 30 minutes with salt and olive oil in the oven. Add the ground almonds and bake for another 10 minutes. Then serve hot with the sauce. #highprotein #lowcarb #vegan #vegetarian #glutenfree
Unstyled food photos: carrot and preserved lemon s Unstyled food photos: carrot and preserved lemon soup. I’m eating a lot of soup as it’s easy to make with one hand and a vitamix. I roasted the carrots ( 1 kilo) in olive oil. Then boiled them with 2 tbsp veg stock, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin and 2 litres hot water. For a thicker soup, add 1 tbsp of cornflour mixed with the stock juice and add. Once tender, I blended this with 2 whole preserved lemons, adding a little of the juice from the jar. Blend on medium then high. Serve with yoghurt. It’s a way of effortlessly eating a lot of vegetables in one meal. #winterfood #soup #vegetables
So hard to cook with one hand- screwing off lids, So hard to cook with one hand- screwing off lids, pouring, scraping, lifting pans. 3 more weeks with a cast. I’ve made a vegan mushroom Paprikash with cashew cream and acacia smoked paprika from a Hungarian paprika farm that I visited in October. #comfortfood #vegan #mushroom #paprikash
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2025 msmarmitelover