Don Antonio

Don Antonio – Sauce from Abruzzo

Under the brand Don Antonio Sugo, Casina Rossa, located in the Italian province of Chieti in Abruzzo, produces aromatic sauces from sun-ripened tomatoes. In the hilly hinterland of Abruzzo, a tomato variety particularly suitable for making sauce thrives: the Francavillese. Also known as the Abruzzo pear tomato, this variety finds optimal conditions in the Abruzzo climate for the complete ripening of its fruit. The family business Casina Rossa, which means "red house," has embraced this very tomato variety. Owners Nicola and Paola de Laurentis process the fully ripe tomatoes for Don Antonio Sughi in an artisanal way. The tomatoes grow in small plots and glow tomato-red in August, at the peak of harvest season. They have a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, a fleshy consistency, and few seeds.

Don Antonio Sugo – the ideal tomato sauce

And because the tomatoes themselves are so aromatic, the recipes for Don Antonio Sughi are as simple as they are clever. The tomatoes are destemmed by hand, coarsely chopped, and then, according to traditional recipes, sautéed with onions in olive oil and gently simmered. Only a little salt and, depending on the variety, seasoned with basil, chili, oregano, carrots, peppers, or celery, and always a pinch of sugar. This creates a ready-to-use, fruity, wonderfully thick tomato sauce of incredible aroma and perfect consistency. Don Antonio, the ideal tomato sauce, is available in varieties: Sugo with Basil, Sugo all' Arrabbiata, Sugo Toscana, or Tradizionale, bottled in traditional milk bottles. They are a highlight for any pasta. Because what would good pasta be without a perfect tomato sauce?