Miracolo di San Gennaro Small Tomatoes

Miracolo di San Gennaro Pomodorini are produced by Sabatino Abagnale in very limited quantities, from a rare tomato variety also known as Pomodorini delle Colline dei Monti Lattari. The size of large cherry tomatoes or small plum tomatoes, they grow only on the Monti Lattari mountain range around Mt. Vesuvius, near the towns of Sant’Antonio Abate, Gragnano, Agerola, and Pimonte. There, the arid temperatures, scorching sun and scarcity of water give this prized tomato its low acidity, exceptional sweetness and rich pulp.

Like Sabatino’s world famous Miracolo di San Gennaro Tomatoes, these pomodorini get their nickname from the patron saint of Napoli, where the saint’s blood is said to turn to liquid in a church twice a year, bringing good luck to the city and to the region. Southern Italian communities within Italy and around the world hold festive celebrations in August and September in honor of San Gennaro, but apparently tomato growers with a sense of humor thought their exceptional tomatoes were a way to celebrate this saint’s bloody miracle all year long….

Sabatino harvests his tomatoes in late summer when they are at the perfect ripeness, and only picks them after sunset when the humidity levels are right, according to tradition. Sabatino believes that tomatoes are like wine, requiring the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, so like wine, he ages his tomatoes underground for sixty days to allow the flavors to develop.