Delallo tomatoes

[vr6Dad]

Last night I made a Chicago-style deep dish using crushed tomatoes instead of ground. I don't care for chunky tomato sauces, and neither does my wife. I had picked up some crushed italian tomatoes at our local Publix grocery, but ruined the sauce with too much garlic and oregano.  As luck had it, my wife needed me to go back to the store for some chili ingredients and diapers, so I ran to our local Kroger. I looked around the regular tomato section and was disappointed in the selection. So I thought I'd try the area around the pasta sauces - there is an imported section there. Lo & behold, there were some Delallo imported products. Among them were big 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes with basil. It was the dark blue can that said "imported" on it, which according to their web site are supposed to contain San Marzano tomatoes.

So I picked up a can and took it home. I opened it up and tried a spoonful. Just a tad bit bitter, but not enough to cause any heartburn. I added a little sugar and crushed red pepper and stirred, letting it sit for a while in a bowl. After I built the pizza, I topped it with the sauce.

My my my! My wife really liked it and so did I. I'll be getting this brand again! 

Edit - HERE is a pic of the pizza. I made it as a stuffed crust, similar to Giordanos, which is my wife's favorite. 

[Finnegans Wake]

I'd be curious to know if anyone's used this brand in conunction with NY - Neopolitan style pies, too.  I'm getting more comfortable with the crusts and now want to start incorporating better sauces and cheeses.  I know the Escalon and Grande get a good buzz on the boards, but can't find a local supplier, and right now I don't want to spend a bunch on shipping if I can get nearly as good a quality with something like Delallo.  And Delallo has a supplier I can drive to...

They also sell mozz.  You try their mozz, vr6?

[vr6Dad]

They also sell mozz.  You try their mozz, vr6?

No Fin, I haven't. My local store only carries some of their tomato products, some olives and (maybe) pasta. I live in the sticks, where we don't get the pick of the litter when it comes to good eats. 

[Finnegans Wake]

I live in the sticks, where we don't get the pick of the litter when it comes to good eats. 

I hear ya.  As I've mentioned in another thread, we live pretty close to Amish country, to give you an idea of how cosmopolitan we are.  Was trying to think where I might be able to snag some good sauce and cheese locally, and I recalled an Italian shop near mother-in-law's.  They sell all Delallo products, so I may just give it a whirl.

Someday maybe I'll try making a Chi pie, but right now I'm trying to follow the NY - Neopolitan style.  Rather coincidental that you had just posted about Delallo, but I keep finding many happy coincidences on this board!  I'll let ya know about the mozz.

[Finnegans Wake]

Finally picked up both Delallo pizza sauce (seasoned, less cost effective) and some of their fresh muzz.

I thought the sauce was fine, but I also got some canned whole tomatoes and can't wait to use them.  I don't want to say I was underwhelmed by the sauce, but I used crust that could have used some more fridge time, the sauce, and the Delallo muzz, and it just didn't seem to add up to what I wanted.  The sauce did have nice, clean, fresh notes, and I hope the tomatoes alone will be even better.

The muzz was fine but not substantially better than fresh that I've gotten at CostCo.  And maybe it's heretical, but I've found some of the non-fresh is kickier in flavor.  Maybe I've become used to it from commercial pies, or just haven't had that revelatory fresh muzz experience. 

Delallo also sells pasta sauce.  I picked up a jar of their tonnato (tuna sauce) for about $5.99 (!), but it was pretty doggone good.  The seasoning was again restrained, but this allowed the tuna to come to the fore.  And you really got how fresh those San Marzano tomatoes are!  Yum!

[Finnegans Wake]

Had to make a hurry-up pie last night, as we got home around 10:15 and hadn't eaten yet.  And we usually have our Geritol and are in bed by then!!!   

Anyway, I had the Delallo sauce and half a pound of their fresh muzz, but this time I was using dough that had been in the fridge for about 5 days instead of "new" dough.  Made a difference.  Obviously the dough tasted better, but I think the extra flavor development accentuated how clean the tomatoes taste.  Made one cheese pie and one with Delallo pepperoni, which I neglected to mention.  That stuff's the real deal, very good.  Makes your Hormel types taste fake and sick.

Interesting how crust can affect tomatoes and cheese. 

[vr6Dad]

Good posts.

So far in my area, it is the best I've found. At this point I'm not ready to mail order 6-in-1 tomatoes. I've heard of  a couple of other possibilities, so I'll be checking them out too.