Pizza Express Passata - Review

We all love Pizza.

Pizza nights at our house always have a party atmosphere. If we ever eat out as a family, a Pizza restaurant  is a good option.

Pizza Express make a very good Pizza.

After our Session in a Recording Studio in Birmingham last week, we all descended on The Bullring in search of lunch and made our way to Pizza Express.

It was very busy but they managed to find us a table and the girls buried their noses in menus to make their selections. Everyone enjoyed their meal.

Margherita, Quattro Formaggi, Padana or Funghi di Bosco?

Catering tins of Pizza Express Passata

Making the pizzas

Lunch is served - mmmm

I was very happy to find out that Pizza Express are making their Passata available for purchase in supermarkets and even happier to be sent one to review.

It comes in a 400g tin bearing the same eye catching design as the catering tins with the addition of the distinctive Pizza Express logo. It would certainly stand out on the supermarket shelves.

The back of the tin explains:

Our famous tomato sauce used in our kitchens since 1965, is made by the Greci family, near Parma, to a recipe perfected by Pizza Express founder Peter Boizot. 
Peter traveled to Italy at harvest time, securing the sweetest sun-ripened tomatoes to be crushed into sauce within 12 hours of picking. After seasoning with salt and pepper, the finishing touch was a fresh basil leaf added to every can.

To trial the Passata, I decided to make Calzone. This was an ambitious undertaking as I had never attempted it before. I can't honestly say it was a resounding success recipe wise but the Passata was gorgeous.

You can watch the Calzone Video on YouTube but be warned, it will take 13minutes and 44seconds of your life! For the edited highlights (ie the moment when we actually use the passata) see below (a mercifully short 2 minutes 22seconds!)

Despite the disastrous appearance of my Calzone, it was really tasty and everyone cleaned their plate. The Passata was sweet, thick, tomatoey and fresh tasting and transported me back to our Saturday lunch at the Pizza Express restaurant.

I still had half a can left after making the Calzone so I had a second attempt at making a cookery video. My little helper was with me again as we used the leftovers to create an open pie.

I don't think I am about to break into the world of TV chefs but I did enjoy our cookery project and the Passata was outstanding as an ingredient. What we lacked in skill and finesse the Pizza Express Passata more than made up for in taste.