Sun Dried Tomatoes in Bag

Intensely flavored with the heat of the Mediterranean sun, these sundried tomatoes are a taste of the island of Pantelleria, a rocky outpost off the southwest coast of Sicily near Tunisia. With dramatic volcanic craters and hot springs, the island’s landscape is forbidding to all but the most sun-loving plants—luckily, this includes tomatoes! The combination of the unique nutrients found in Pantelleria’s volcanic soil and that intense southern heat gives these tomatoes an extraordinary complexity of flavor you won’t find anywhere else. It’s all concentrated into these chewy little gems, which are harvested by hand and set out to dry outdoors the way it’s been done for centuries.

Drying foods in the sun is an ancient technique for preserving the flavors of summer for the long winter months. With just the natural power of the sun, a little salt, and some flat outdoor space, Italian families could enjoy that bright tomato acidity and sweetness all year round. Today, sundried tomatoes are beloved for their ability to add a powerful burst of deep tomato flavor in just a little package.

Run by three brothers from Pantelleria, Kazzen is dedicated to sharing the unique bounty of their home with the rest of Italy and the world. A true labor of love, Kazzen uses traditional methods and recipes to continue the flavorful legacy of their island. Their motto is “specialità dell’isola”—specialties of the island—and their capers, oils, and delicious sauces and spreads will bring a taste of Pantelleria to your home.