Depending on the dish they're used in, tomatoes may be sliced, diced, cut into wedges or even pureed. In some cases, the type of tomato determines its use. Large, round tomatoes are intended for slicing, while cherry tomatoes are eaten whole. For sauces, plum tomatoes are best, although some recipes might call for "pitted" tomatoes. Plum tomatoes have a distinctive oblong shape, while "pitted" simply means the seeds have been removed from a tomato.
Plum
Several varieties of plum or Italian-style tomatoes are available to gardeners and grocery shoppers. They're easily distinguished from conventional tomatoes by their shape, which differs from the sphere or flattened-sphere shape of most other tomatoes. When cut, plum tomatoes show a thick, meaty interior with a small seed cavity and less water gel than conventional tomatoes. The most common plum tomato in U.S. supermarkets is the Roma variety. Italy's renowned San Marzano tomatoes are also plum tomatoes.
Pitted
Although "pitted" tomatoes isn't a description that's generally used the U.S., it isn't hard to understand. Seeds generally are referred to as pits, and a pitted tomato has had much the same treatment as a pitted olive or cherry. The phrase is most often found in recipes from Europe and elsewhere in the world. In practice, it means the seeds and jelly-like juice have been squeezed out, along with the woody core from the stem end. Some recipes will also specify peeling and dicing the tomatoes, which the French call "tomatoes concassee."
Sauce
Plum-type tomatoes are especially favored for making tomato sauces and purees. Some refer to them as "sauce tomatoes" or "paste tomatoes." Much of the cooking time in making tomato sauce is needed simply to cook out the excess moisture from the tomatoes, leaving a thick sauce with a concentrated flavor. Because plum tomatoes are meatier to begin with and have less juice, they arrive at the desired consistency more quickly than conventional tomatoes. Most recipes will specify a plum-type tomato, but you might occasionally find one that asks for pitted tomatoes.
Pitting
Pitting your tomatoes, whether you're using plum or conventional ones, makes for a better, smoother sauce. Peel your tomatoes by dropping them into boiling water for one minute, then into ice water -- the skins will be loosened and slide off easily. Next, cut your tomatoes in half crosswise. Squeeze the seeds and jelly out of the middle and coax out any lingering seeds with your finger or a small spoon. Dice or coarsely chop the tomatoes and cook them immediately or freeze them for later.
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