What it is
A Campanian preserve of San Marzano-type tomatoes cut, sun-dried and kept in glass jars under extra-virgin olive oil with garlic, chilli and spices.
Origin place card
The source says the product is widespread across Campania.
Verified history
The official page says the recipe has existed for centuries, traditionally in family use, and only more recently entered artisanal/industrial preparations. Treat this as source-supported tradition/history from Regione Campania — Pomodori secchi sott'olio; the current evidence does not independently establish a founder, precise origin date, first attestation, or archival origin beyond that source framing.
Local hypothesis
This is the summer-to-winter bridge: tomatoes left under gauze in the sun, then sealed into oil and opened months later.
Local legend / oral tradition
No legend documented; household preservation is the tradition layer.
Ingredients
Una volta essiccati, vengono conservati in barattoli di vetro perfettamente puliti e ricoperti accuratamente con olio extravergine di oliva, aglio, peperoncino e spezie in modo tale che si insaporiscano.
Method
Cut tomatoes lengthwise into four, dry in the sun under light gauze to keep insects away, then pack in clean glass jars and cover carefully with olive oil, garlic, chilli and spices. Source-supported detail: Sono pomodori del tipo San Marzano, tagliati in quattro, posti al sole ad asciugare e ricoperti da garze leggere per evitare gli insetti.
Ritual / calendar
The tomatoes are "San Marzano", cut lengthwise in four and left in the sun to dry, covered with gauze to keep the insects away.
Why travel for it
The reader should feel the desire to stand beside a terrace of drying tomatoes under gauze.
Recreate-it pathway
Food-safety validation needed for home jar instructions; publish as traditional method plus tested modern recipe later.
Editorial warning
Oil-preserved low-moisture foods need safety warnings; do not give shelf-stable instructions casually.
Fieldwork questions
Which tomato varieties beyond San Marzano are used locally? What modern safety steps do artisans use?
Photo brief
Sun-drying tomatoes under gauze, jars with oil/garlic/chilli, summer terrace.