Let’s be clear right from the start, tomatoes are not a vegetable, they are, indeed, a fruit.
In fact, you might have heard of them being referred to as, “the fruit of the vine,” which, technically speaking, means they meet the botanical definition of a fruit.
Botanical fruits, by definition, have at least one seed, and grow from the flower of a plant – an accurate description of a tomato. But all that aside, I just love these botanical beauties – I can’t get enough of them!
Growing up in Greece, there was nothing I liked better than the taste of a sweet, juicy tomato just plucked straight off the vine. I can still remember the feeling of sinking my teeth into one, as the cool juices rolled down my chin.
It was my favorite afternoon snack as the summer moved to a close. I looked forward to it every single day– finding the perfect, glorious, vibrant red fruit that I devoured in a matter of seconds… and still do, to this day.
I know I am not alone in my passion – or what some might call an obsession – for this fruit of the vine. No wonder these mouthwatering gems have become a key ingredient in a wide and delicious variety of Mediterranean dishes – and really dishes from all over the world.
This includes everything from the quintessential Horiatiki Salata (better known as a village salad) to the Greek classic, Moussaka, a layered casserole with eggplant, ground meat, bechamel, and, of course, tomato sauce, that’s baked to golden-brown perfection.
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Origins of Tomatoes in Greece
Originating in the Americas, tomatoes had been consumed by native cultures primarily in Central and South America. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors brought tomatoes over to Europe, quickly found their way to Italy, and eventually made their way to Greece.
As the story goes, tomatoes weren’t introduced to Greece until the early 19th century. It’s believed that around 1815 an Abbott (the head monk) of a Capuchin monastery was among the first to bring tomatoes to Greece’s mainland, and quickly found their way to the island of Syros, and then Santorini, both located in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea.
By the early 1900’s, the little red gems had taken off, and before long they were planted and harvested across over 20,000 acres of land. Tomatoes quickly became so ubiquitous and bountiful in Greece, there was a need for large scale preservation methods like canning and producing tomato paste.
Fresh Off the Vine
Despite the fact that it took a while for tomatoes to find their way to Greece, they thrive in this environment. With its hot summers, and mild wet winters, the Mediterranean climate is ideal for growing tomatoes; and while Greece has many different kinds of soil, it turns out that all of them provide the perfect mix of nutrients that tomatoes need.
Moreover, many Greek farmers insist on growing their tomatoes in a “clean environment,’ and that means no pesticides – by virtue, making them organic by default.
Tomato Paste: The Miracle Ingredient
Anyone who knows me knows that I carry a can of tomato paste with me wherever I go. I know it seems like I’m a bit obsessed, and frankly, I am! I can’t live without it. Trust me, it tastes good, brings every dish to life, and it’s so good for you.
I remember going with my father to visit the Kyknos Canning Company factory in Nafplion to see how they preserved and canned tomatoes.
I was awestruck by the bounty of beautifully ripe, red tomatoes and how the machinery worked to take this perfect item and turn it into something else that my family used at home all the time.
Kyknos was established in 1915 as a means to preserve the ripe fruit through canning, and has been making the best quality tomato products – especially their tomato paste – ever since! They are a model of sustainability in action, even then.
In Greece, there is no home without a Kyknos product in its cupboards. Not only are their products essential parts of the Greek pantry, but their packaging is as well. You can find Kyknos cans used as flower pots and planters all over Greece!
While it makes sense to use tomato paste in the winter, when tomatoes are not as plentiful and fresh, I’m a fan of using tomato paste year-round.
As a chef, I find tomato paste adds a great savory flavor, sometimes called ‘umami’ to any dish I use it in. It has a concentrated sweetness, a mild acidity, and it thickens sauces beautifully.
My dear friend, Chef Jehangir Mehta, known as the ‘Guru of Sustainability’ said while filming with me for The Life of Loi, “The tomato paste – the umami of Maria’s life! It’s always in everything! If it’s not on her lips, it’s in the food!”
Right now, there is actually a shortage of tomato paste – it’s happening for a variety of reasons including the fact that high temperatures and heat waves are impacting how many tomato plants are being grown, and in turn, harvested. All of this points to the fact that I savor every tablespoon of this miracle ingredient I can get my hands on.
Store Once Opened
A little tip, once you open a can of tomato paste, keep it stored in your refrigerator – it preserves it, and prevents it from spoiling. You can keep it in a covered glass bowl, or a plastic container, but be sure to cover the surface with olive oil, a known natural preservative. You can also store it in plastic bags in the freezer.
The key here is to prevent the tomato paste from being exposed to oxygen. Once a can is opened, you want to store it properly, so it can last much longer.
What’s Healthier: Canned VS Fresh?
So, what’s the scoop? Is it better to use canned or fresh tomatoes? And how does tomato paste fare when compared with these other two options? The answer is… they all have their own relative health benefits.
Canned tomatoes actually contain more fiber, folate, B vitamins, and lycopene then their fresh counterparts. What I’ve always found interesting is that canned tomatoes actually retain more vitamin C then fresh tomatoes because of the lack of oxygen in the can.
On the down side, canned tomatoes can have more sugar, salt and other additives, so be sure to read the label when you’re selecting a canned tomato.
Fresh tomatoes, as you’d suspect, have much higher levels of vitamins A, K and Folate. They are also chock full of lycopene and vitamin C. Lycopene is a carotenoid – an antioxidant that may help prevent cancer, reduce inflammation and improve blood flow.
Some research has shown that by combining tomatoes with a fat source like olive oil, it can actually help your body more effectively absorb the lycopene.
As for my beloved tomato paste, it also contains many of those same nutrients as its fresh or canned counterparts, including lycopene, vitamin C and vitamin K.
However, studies have shown that processed tomato products such as tomato paste have higher levels of lycopene, the antioxidant known for its protective effect against some forms of cancer, especially prostate cancer.
Remember, before adding anything new to your diet, always ask your doctor.
A Staple of Greek Cuisine – Versatile, Delicious, and Used in Just About Everything
Today, tomatoes are used extensively throughout the Mediterranean. The beauty of the tomato lies in its simplicity and its versatility. They can be used raw in salads, salsas, and dressings – or enjoyed on their own with just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
My friend, Chef Cesare Casella, the Chief of the Department of Nourishment Arts at The Center for Discovery actually revived an old Italian species of tomato, the Canestrino variety.
When I tell you these are the BEST tomatoes I’ve ever had outside of Greece, I speak the truth. They are slightly oblong, plump, and the most gorgeous hue of ruby red you’ve ever seen.
Never has a tomato been sweeter or juicier than Cesare’s tomatoes – so much so that when I make my salads with his tomatoes, the juices at the bottom of the bowl are saturated red!
Tomatoes respond beautifully to hot preparations as well, and can be sautéed, baked, roasted, blended, grilled or stuffed in their natural form.
Think of succulent tomatoes, gently sauteed until the skin begins to rip, combined with fresh mussels, garlic, and herbs; or a decadent tomato soup, made by pan roasting tomatoes and onions, then blending with vegetable stock and adding some Greek yogurt for creaminess; or that viral baked tomato and feta dish with pasta – tomatoes can do no wrong!
Or, if you long to transform them so they can be used as a deliciously sweet or savory addition to one of your favorite dishes, they can easily be made into a sauce, a paste, distilled into a water, or even made into a powder.
Tomato paste is an underutilized secret weapon in the kitchen – when added to roasts, braises, and sauces, it caramelizes to produce a deep layer of umami flavor – and while it can be tomato-y in flavor (if you choose to highlight it), it can also blend into the background adding depth to dishes in ways you can’t imagine.
I used it to coat my lemon potatoes, which come out perfectly roasted with beautiful color, bright and lemony, not tasting of tomato at all! Or, when making a lamb shank, the tomato paste enhances the unctuous flavor of the lamb without a pronounced flavor of tomato. Honestly, the possibilities are endless.
I am often asked if tomatoes lose their health benefits when they are processed or cooked. You’ll be happy to know the answer is a resounding, no – in fact, this can elevate the absorption of nutrients into your body!
Chock Full Of Memories
I’ve always believed that a lot of our favorite foods are tied to early memories.
As a child, I remember watching my yiayia (grandmother in Greek) and my aunts grate fresh tomatoes and combine them with tomato paste to make some classic Greek dishes that included Turlu – a mixed seasonal vegetable stew made with fresh tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic and olive oil; Gemista – Greek Stuffed Vegetables that were filled to the brim with a medley of summer vegetables including tomatoes, green peppers, zucchini, and eggplants, along with a mixture of rice, fresh herbs, and a heaping spoonful of tomato paste that enhanced all of the natural flavors; and, of course, there were Gigantes, braised giant beans made with tomato paste, fresh herbs, and olive oil.
Perhaps my favorite were Keftedakia (meatballs), which was the first dish I ever made on my own for my family (emulating my yiayia and aunts), which always included a spoonful of tomato paste along with grated tomatoes to keep them light and fluffy.
All of these dishes were incredibly soul-satisfying, which is why, no doubt, I continue to eat them to this day.
You Say Tomato, I Say… Tomato Paste
For me, tomatoes and tomato paste are not only essential ingredients in the kitchen, they are a quintessential component of my life!
For my last meal, I would take the most delicious pieces of dark, crusty, wholegrain sourdough bread – on one piece, I would take a perfectly ripe tomato and slice it, sprinkle it with sea salt from Messolonghi (the salt lakes near where I grew up), dress it in the finest olive oil, and top it with some feta cheese.
The other piece of bread would be slathered in Kyknos tomato paste, drizzled with same olive oil, and sprinkled with that same salt.
Tomato paste is the ‘umami of [my] life’ because no matter the season, I can always find it. So, savor the end of this year’s tomato season, and then relish in tomato paste until next year…
All food dish photo credits are Chef Loi
