Latest finds at the DK Market

A few weeks ago, I read a recipe for eggplant parmesan that called for Passata, something I'd never heard of before. It was from a British website, which claimed that passata, or strained tomatoes sold in a glass jar, was better tasting than canned tomatoes. I figured that it was just something that wasn't sold on this side of the pond. I was wrong.
A few days ago, I was wandering the aisles in the wonderful DK Market(7th and Lind in Renton), and there it was!  The DK has all kinds of unusual imported goods, or foods catering to immigrant communities. It's so much fun to shop there. Anyway, not far from the Filipino tuna cans and the Polish chocolate, was the Passata, from Italy. So of course I had to try it.
And then in the dairy section in the front of the store? "Chicago" cheese, with writing in Arabic. So of course I had to try it.
Anyway, two successes!
I used the Passata on my Trenton tomato pie, which is a New Jersey cousin of pizza. Unlike pizza, where the sauce goes on the dough, and is usually significantly spiced, tomato pie is traditionally crushed tomatoes on top. Usually with no spicing, not even salt.  Passata is just tomatoes, perfect for tomato pie. Mine had mozzarella, Fontina,  Field Roast Italian sausage, garlic, and mushrooms. It came out good, if not perfectly round. I was never very good at geometry.

The Chicago cheese? Yum! Double Yum! It's a fresh cheese in a brine, texturally similar to fresh mozzarella, but a little saltier. Kind of like a cross between fresh mozzarela and feta. I've since bought another package, and am consuming it with pleasure.