Seed | Tomato Canestrino Della Campania

1 sachet

$3.99 CAD

Seed | Tomato Canestrino Della Campania

$3.99 CAD

Quantity

Originating from a long tradition of gardening in Campania, this heritage tomato is now very rare in commercial production circuits and represents a valuable variety for lovers of living seeds.

History of the Canestrino della Campania Tomato

The Canestrino della Campania tomato is an old variety originating from southern Italy, in the Campania region, a territory known for the richness of its volcanic soils and its agriculture deeply rooted in peasant tradition.

Its name, Canestrino, derives from the Italian word canestro, meaning "basket." It evokes the generous, ribbed fruits that were harvested at full maturity and placed directly into baskets in the heart of family gardens. This tomato is distinguished by its deep pink color, a soft and luminous hue, characteristic of certain old Italian varieties, long prized for their delicate flesh and balanced flavor.

The Canestrino della Campania variety is not the result of a modern breeding program. It is the product of traditional peasant selection, passed down from generation to generation. Gardeners saved seeds from the most beautiful and flavorful fruits, prioritizing taste, plant vigor, and a production spread throughout the season.

This indeterminate variety develops vigorous plants that continue to grow and produce until the end of summer. This gradual growth was perfectly suited to Mediterranean vegetable gardens, where daily harvests ensured a constant food supply for families.

Its dense, slightly watery, and naturally sweet flesh made the Canestrino a highly prized tomato in cooking. Its pink color, a sign of moderate acidity, made it ideal for eating fresh, simply sliced with olive oil, but also for homemade sauces and traditional stews.

With the industrialization of agriculture, many local varieties, such as Canestrino della Campania, gradually disappeared from commercial markets, replaced by standardized tomatoes. Today, this variety is rare in commercial production, but remains valuable to gardeners and seed producers committed to preserving cultivated diversity.

Growing the Canestrino della Campania tomato means keeping alive a heritage seed linked to a terroir, a color, a flavor, and an agricultural history. Each pink fruit tells the story of a Mediterranean garden, the care given to the land, and the transmission of ancient techniques.

Delicate and flavorful, the Canestrino della Campania tomato is a heritage variety with pink flesh that is essential to preserve. Cultivating it and preserving its seeds directly contributes to protecting crop diversity and passing on agricultural knowledge.

Properties of the Canestrino della Campania Tomato

(Solanum lycopersicum)

The Canestrino della Campania tomato, recognizable by its pink flesh, is appreciated not only for its delicate flavor, but also for its nutritional qualities naturally present in old varieties.

Nutritional properties

A natural source of vitamin C, contributing to the maintenance of natural defenses

Provides beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A

Contains B vitamins, essential for energy metabolism

Rich in potassium, important for fluid balance

Low in calories and naturally hydrating

Natural antioxidants

Like all tomatoes, the Canestrino della Campania contains lycopene, an antioxidant pigment responsible for its pinkish color.

Lycopene contributes to the protection of cells against oxidative stress.

It is best absorbed when the tomato is eaten ripe, lightly cooked, or accompanied by a fat.

Pink-fleshed tomatoes are often recognized for their milder acidity, which makes them more enjoyable to eat fresh.

Traditional uses and nutritional benefits

In Italian culinary traditions, this tomato was an integral part of a simple and balanced diet:

Consumed fresh to preserve its vitamins

Used cooked to improve the assimilation of lycopene

Prized for its digestibility when harvested when fully ripe.

It is part of a food approach where taste, seasonality and product quality take precedence over industrial processing.

How to cook Canestrino della Campania tomatoes
Traditional recipes

The Canestrino della Campania tomato is an old variety with pink flesh that is sweet and low in acidity. It is traditionally cooked simply to highlight its meaty texture and delicate flavor.

1. Raw Canestrino Tomato in Olive Oil

(Oldest and most traditional recipe)

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

500g of ripe Canestrino della Campania tomatoes

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Preparation
Cut the tomatoes into thick slices. Arrange on a plate, drizzle generously with olive oil, season lightly with salt and add basil if desired.

Use
This preparation fully reveals the sweetness of the pink flesh and the low acidity level of the Canestrino.

2. Campanian Peasant Salad

Ingredients (serves 4)

600g of Canestrino tomatoes

1 small red onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Preparation
Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Add the raw onion, season with oil and salt. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

3. Old-fashioned homemade tomato sauce

Ingredients (for 4 servings of pasta)

1 kg of ripe Canestrino tomatoes

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

Sea salt, to taste

Preparation
Roughly chop the tomatoes. Gently sauté the garlic in oil, add the tomatoes and simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Add salt at the end of cooking.

Use
Used for pasta, vegetables or simply on bread.

4. Oven-baked Canestrino Tomatoes

(Traditional use for preservation)

Ingredients

1 kg of Canestrino tomatoes

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Preparation
Cut the tomatoes in half. Arrange them on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Season lightly with salt, drizzle with oil, and cook at a low temperature (120-140°C) for 2 to 3 hours. Then store them in the oil.

5. Rustic Canestrino Bruschetta

Ingredients (6 bruschettas)

400g of ripe Canestrino tomatoes

6 slices of rustic bread

1 clove of garlic

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Preparation
Toast the bread and rub it with garlic. Top with chopped tomatoes, drizzle with oil and season lightly with salt.

6. Panzanella

(Traditional bread salad)

Ingredients (serves 4)

500g of Canestrino tomatoes

200g of stale bread

1 small onion

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Preparation
Rehydrate the bread in a little water, then squeeze out the excess water. Mix with the chopped tomatoes and onion. Season with oil and salt.

7. Stuffed tomatoes, Italian style

Ingredients (serves 4)

6 medium-sized Canestrino tomatoes

80 g of breadcrumbs

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Preparation
Scoop out some of the insides of the tomatoes. Mix the breadcrumbs with the garlic, parsley, oil, and salt. Stuff the tomatoes and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes.

8. Canestrino Tomato Frittata

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

300g of Canestrino tomatoes

4 eggs

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Preparation
Lightly sauté the tomatoes in oil. Add the beaten eggs and salt, and cook gently until completely set.

The Canestrino della Campania tomato lends itself to simple, family-style, and nourishing cuisine. Raw, cooked, candied, or incorporated into leftover dishes, it embodies a peasant tradition where the quality of the fruit takes precedence over the complexity of the recipes.

Our seeds are vigorous, open-pollinated and adapted to the Quebec climate.

Species: Solanum lycopersicum
Sowing: sow in pots in mid-February (to grow in an outdoor greenhouse in mid-May) or sow in mid-March in an indoor pot to grow outdoors in June, needs a support and does not like the cold
Seeds: 2 seeds per pot, as you will have to transplant each seed into separate pots.
Sowing depth: 0.5cm-1cm
Germination time: 7-13 days
Soil: Slightly acidic, humus-rich, loose, fresh and well-drained
Location: Requires very hot cultivation and plenty of sun
Spacing between plants: 40-45cm
Height at maturity: 150-200cm
Maturity: 75-80 days | Indeterminate Plant
Seed per envelope: +/- 25

Our seeds are guaranteed for the year of purchase.