Tinned tomatoes. Chopped or whole. Which are the best, in your opinion ?

[WildRosie]

I've been using Napolina chopped tomatoes for years in things like ragu, pasta sauce and pizza sauce but I'm wondering lately if I'm using the best I can afford ? I've heard good things about Cirio, Cook Italian and M&S own brand. I tried Del Monte once but they were a little anaemic, IYSWIM. I know the packs of four or six tins are slightly better value; I wouldn't want to pay more than £1.00 for a single tin.

Thankyou.

I buy whole ones then chop them still in the tin with a pair of scissors.

I was about to say exactly the same as Littlefiendsusan, except I use a knife.

Think it was a Jamie Oliver tip waaaaaaay back when he was the Naked Chef

Napolina chopped, reduced in the pan a quarter. Mind you, in the 60s the whole ones had such concentrated juice you needed to add water

We use whole ones, the chopped tins seem to have a higher proportion of ends, as a PP said. I chop the ends off the whole ones then smoosh them in a bowl with my hands - as recommended by Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall.

Whole Sam Marzano tinned tomatoes are worth the massive price increase.

I've just been reading some Mutti reviews and they're highly regarded, plus they're sold in Sainsbury's and Waitrose, which helps. I'll try to get some tomorrow.

Thankyou again.

Whole ones put through a mouli or passata. Chopped tomatoes are neither one thing nor the other- too lumpy and too watery at the same time.
Passata is great for pizza sauce- I mix it with crushed garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar- works perfectly and takes 2 minutes.

It doesn't matter which, as long as they state they are in juice.
Mutti as pp says are my tinned tomato of choice but I'm in Italy so the choice is pretty wide. (Cirio aren't bad but belong to the ginormous Parmalat company so I avoid) Napolina isn't an Italian brand but I remember my Mum buying them.

@WildRosie

Thanks everyone. I once tried using passata as a pizza sauce but it was way too runny. Reducing it in a saucepan helped but made the flavour so concentrated it was unpleasant! I'll stick to tinned tomatoes.

Passata is really for adding the tomato element to your Ragu/Bolognese. For a pizza sauce you're better off with bottled tomato sauce or tinned toms reduced down.

@WildRosie

I've just been reading some Mutti reviews and they're highly regarded, plus they're sold in Sainsbury's and Waitrose, which helps. I'll try to get some tomorrow.

Thankyou again.

Ocado too. I discovered them when they were on special offer.

I always used Waitrose own but since i discovered mutti on holiday in Florence it’s all I use now. Also the Barilla pasta is much better than all the others

@IHaveBrilloHair

I use whole, chopped and passata, they have different uses.

Definitely this. Passata is great for some things but can't imagine putting it in a ragu. I like waitrose the best, but had to switch to cook Italia due to Ocado. And the Isle of Wight tomato co do the best passata.

Passata needs a lot of salt adding to it to take the bitter twang away. Otherwise it's way too sour and "tomato-y".
It's not used very much in Italy.

I like old men’s testicles. KTC is the brand I like, the sauce is nice and thick.

@grassisjeweled

Passata is better

Yes again! I prefer mine blitzed.

Always whole tomatoes. My Nonna always told me too, she told me chopped were all the rubbish off the floor of the tomato factory.....
Although she did tell me some other rather suspect Italian stories

I only buy passata now but if I needed “lumpy” I’d use fresh with a bit of passata. Best discovery was sun dried tomato paste. So much nicer than tomato purée.

I buy whole Napolina, the juice is thick & tasty, and sweet enough for them not to need sugar. They are often on special offer at 4 cans for £2.

I bought some Cirio recently and was disappointed in them, the tomatoes seemed underripe. Cheap tinned tomatoes are a false economy.

I always put mine in the nutri bullet ..super smooth.

I've been using tinned cherry tomatoes recently (from Lidl or Aldi) and love having the tiny whole tomato in my rage

Another vote for mutti. Definitely the best. I don't like big chunks...mutti has much smaller pieces and is sweeter than other brands.

Mutti are half price for 4 tins in Sainsbury at the moment

I’ve been using Atlante finely chopped tomatoes I can only get them in the bigger siansburys they are reasonable price And really nice flavour for soups and sauces

I like Napolina chopped when they are on special offer. Aldi chopped tomatoes are good

I do not often use passata but will use any brand

I recently discovered tinned cherry tomatoes. Oh they are lovely

I used to use Cirio but have just switched to San Marzino delivered via Amazon in a 12 pack - they are fantastic