Perfection Fresh (Aust)

Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes - a matter of truss

Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes are fast emerging as an impressive entertainer's choice - cooked or served just as nature grew them - on the truss.

About four centimetres in diameter, Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes' appealing glossy red skins and fresh green stems add maximum plate appeal when presented together.

These intense red and round, glasshouse-grown specialty tomatoes are ripened on the vine and picked as soon as their colour indicates they are about to reach their flavour peak.

Served raw, their fresh tomato aroma fills a room, while cooked, their skins soften and blister, enhancing their juiciness.

Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes can be roasted, grilled, baked or sautéed whole on the truss and presented as a main, entrée or side dish.

Stuffing is another way to present them trussed. Carefully remove their tops, scoop their flesh out, fill the cavities and replace the tops. The tops help "steam" the contents during cooking, or if served raw, the tops keep the contents cool and fresh.

Once grilled, roasted or baked, the calyxes on stuffed Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes curl up slightly at the ends, creating a delightful star-like adornment.

Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes can also be served as canapés, on bruschetta, on pizza, in pasta dishes and in salads.

Truss tips for Piccolini® tomatoes

• To stuff, use a sharp paring knife in a circular motion to gently remove the "lids" from each Piccolini® tomato, leaving whole vine intact. Fill tomatoes and replace lids. Stuffed Piccolini® can be lightly grilled or served uncooked at room temperature.
• To roast, leave Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes whole and intact on truss, drizzle in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Roast in a low oven until they blister and serve.
• To serve, arrange Piccolini® around roasted meat, with pancetta and spinach omelette for breakfast or on top of a pizza. Use a fork to roll each tomato away from the vine, letting the juices squirt out and flavour the pizza.

Outlets and availability

Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes are available all year 'round at Woolworths and independent retail outlets nationally. Look for them under their variety name, Amoroso cocktail tomatoes, in Coles nationally. They are packaged directly into punnets with the stem attached.

Best at room temperature
Select plump, firm, red Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes with truss intact. The skins should be glossy and bright and the calyx on each stem fresh and green.

As Piccolini® tomatoes continue to ripen after picking, it is best to store them at room temperature to bring out their full flavour and colour. Stored on a truss in a fruit bowl in a cool place, they should last up to seven days.

Refrigerate only when cut and use as soon as possible

Why glasshouse grown?
Perfection Fresh's specialty Piccolini® cocktail tomatoes are produced hydroponically in a temperature-controlled glasshouse at Two Wells, in South Australia.

Tomatoes grown in a protected cropping environment produce up to 10 times more fruit per plant than field-grown tomatoes and result in blemish-free, flavoursome fruit.

Because glasshouse-grown tomatoes are less susceptible to pests and diseases, producers can ensure year-round supply.

Tomatoes for health
Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, a potent antioxidant with the pigment that gives them their rich red colour. They also contain high levels of beta carotene, an antioxidant that supports the immune system and helps maintain healthy skin and tissue lining.