San Marzano tomatoes

Yes: their elongated shape and meaty flesh make a thick sauce without much effort. Crush peeled tomatoes by hand, then simmer with olive oil, garlic and salt for about 20–30 minutes.

Warm olive oil with a lightly crushed garlic clove, add the tomatoes and break them up with a spoon. Simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes, then remove the garlic; add basil at the end.

Yes. Slice ripe fresh tomatoes for salads or sandwiches, or dice them with olive oil, basil and salt for a simple topping on toast.

Keep them at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, with the stem end facing down; refrigeration can dull their flavour and make the flesh mealy. Once cut, cover and refrigerate, then use within a few days.

Yes. Freeze them whole or chopped in a sealed container; the skins usually slip off easily after thawing. Their texture softens, so use thawed tomatoes in soups, stews or sauce rather than salads.

Use another ripe plum tomato for a similar meaty texture and concentrated flavour. If you only have round tomatoes, simmer the sauce uncovered for longer to reduce the extra liquid.

San Marzano tomatoes are a particular kind of plum tomato, with a long shape and firm, meaty flesh. The name is also associated with tomatoes grown in the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino area of Italy.

San Marzano tomatoes have 2 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 1 g in cherry tomatoes.