Tomato Passata

When ripe tomatoes aren’t available (sadly, that’s most of the year!), this passata from Puglia’s Masseria Dauna is ready to step in. Passata is not your everyday tomato puree; it’s made with fresh tomatoes, instead of cooked, which gives it an elegant lightness of both flavor and texture. It’s as if you had freshly grated, peak-of-summer tomatoes at your fingertips all year round.

On the southern heel of Italy's boot, Puglia is known for its beautiful whitewashed towns, white sand beaches, and rich agricultural history. The hot southern sun is a boon for Puglia’s most popular crops: figs, tomatoes, and olives. Founded by the Pozzuto sisters in 2001, Masseria Dauna is a woman-owned and operated company dedicated to preserving Puglian culture with integrity and authenticity. They grow their tomatoes in Lucera, on the hills of the Dauni mountains, where the scorching heat meets cool mountain breezes.

They use a technique called arid culture to grow their tomatoes, a more sustainable form of agriculture that does not require intense watering, but rather relies on the natural strength of the soil to nourish the fruit. The result is incredibly concentrated flavor that’s never thin or sour. The tomatoes are picked, washed, and processed by hand, and go from field to jar within three hours to capture the absolute peak of freshness. Masseria Dauna’s products are preserved simply and without any additives to maintain the authentic taste of ripe tomatoes.