DATTERINI TOMATO SOUP WITH WHITE BEANS

INGREDIENTS

Peeled Plum Tomatoes — Antonella, Sardinia, Italy
White Beans — Larissa, Greece
Datterini Tomatoes — Bartolomeo and Tuccio, Sicily, Italy
Celery
Golden Onion – UK
Garlic – Murcia, Spain
Tomato Concentrate — Antonella, Sardinia, Italy
Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Tom & Juli, Kyparissia, Greece
Natural Fine Sea Salt — Atlit, Israel
Red Wine Vinegar — Murcia, Spain
Dried Oregano — Daphnis and Chloe, Athens, Greece

Working with fresh seasonal ingredients is complex. Weather conditions or other factors beyond our control mean that occasionally, we may have to top up our usual direct suppliers with market alternatives.

We discovered Tuccio’s tomatoes at the market in Milan in 2012 and recognised them as an exceptional example of the datterino.

Francesco grew up in rural Sicily, a region with a centuries’ long tradition of growing outstanding tomatoes. He started his own production after renting his first nursery at the age of 16. His skills, together with the richness of the volcanic Sicilian soil and the warm weather, all contribute to the outstanding quality of his produce.

The rich volcanic soils of the region are packed with nutrients, able to sustain growth even in cooler times with little sunlight. Tuccio rotates his crops, allowing the land to rest between plantings, while building up organic matter year on year. By growing in tunnels, he protects his plants from frost, excessive rain or wind in cooler months and intense heat in summer.

Plus, where other growers set their fruits with hormones, Tuccio chooses bee pollination and refuses to use any chemical pesticides. Finally, he picks only when his produce is fully ripe, delivering exceptional flavour every time.