tomato sauce for pasta pizza etc

carlamagee

someone please help.
trying to make my own tomato based pasta sauce. so far i have:
Fried chopped onion, mushroom and garlic together until onion translucent.
added 400g chopped tomatoes, chilli, pinch mixed herbs, dash balsamic vinegar and heaped tsp tomato puree.
have blended it down as dont like my sauces chunky, and had a taste and it doesnt taste quite right....but i cant quite put my finger on it.
anyone any suggestions as to what i may have done wrong, forgot to add etc? I think its very very tomatoey and quite thick....not really the taste or texture i was going for, any clues???
Thanks.xx

ckerrd

salt?
Maybe add some creme fraiche as well

xx_Jo_xx

Erm, I make my pasta sauce slightly differently.... but going with what you have done already:

Crumble in an Oxo cube and add some salt.

Possibly a splash of red wine.

Lots of tomatoes/puree need the salt to remove the 'tartness'

Hope this helps x


Oh - and pepper.....!!!

Ayeshalush

I usually add a teaspoon of sugar or honey to take away the bitteness of the tomatoes. Makes a world of differrence.

Ali
xx

carlamagee

Thanks for all your help!
Although, Im doing slimming world, so not wanting to use sugar or honey Ayeshalush!

I tink ill try what Jo suggested.....

xx_Jo_xx wrote: »

Erm, I make my pasta sauce slightly differently.... but going with what you have done already:

Crumble in an Oxo cube and add some salt.
Possibly a splash of red wine.
Lots of tomatoes/puree need the salt to remove the 'tartness'
Hope this helps x


Oh - and pepper.....!!!

on my way for an oxo cube, salt and pepper now, so if it helps!
Just out of curiosity though, what way do you make your pasta sauce!?
I just did this of top of my head (and im not the greatest cook!!!), so other ideas would be great!
Thanks,x

Bronnie

Even if you're on a diet, tomato sauces only need a small amount of sugar or squirt of ktchup (for the sugar it contains) to make the flavour more 'rounded' and if you divide that between the number of portions, it can be incorporated into most diet plans! Sometimes I add a splash of lemon juice, depends each time. (ETA, just noticed you've already used balsamic vinegar)

I like to roast or brown the vegetables a little in the pan, as I feel it can intensify the flavour a bit, as can simmering the sauce a little to reduce it, but you already feel your sauce is a bit too thick, so this probably doesn't apply.


Remember tomatoes, fresh or tinnned and your other vegetable ingredients do not have an exactly-the-same-every-time taste! Onions and garlic may be milder or stronger, peppers and tomatoes may be bursting with flavour and sweetness or disappointingly tasteless. That's why it's a bit of trial and error every time, taste, season and taste again until you are getting the sort of flavour you prefer. The more you do this, the more consistent your efforts will become, although we don't all get it right every time!!

HTH

Raspberry_Swirl

definately salt and pepper! sometimes I add worcestershire sauce for an added flavour.

Melonade

Ayeshalush wrote: »

I usually add a teaspoon of sugar or honey to take away the bitteness of the tomatoes. Makes a world of differrence.

Ali
xx

Exactly what I'd do too :T Maybe add half a teaspoon and see if it's working out. Haven't thought of using honey though, I'll give that a try

I'd add some black pepper, but I add pepper to anything

xx_Jo_xx

I would put a teeny bit of olive oil in a pan/pot, chuck in some crushed garlic, a good dollop of tomato puree first and crumble an oxo cube into that. Mix it all up and stir it (a lot) to stop it from sticking to the pot.

Once its cooked, add the tin(s) of chopped toms. It makes the sauce, richer, I think.

Then add salt, pepper, herbs, (red wine if you fancy) worcester sauce, vegetables, previously browed mince (if its bolognaise etc) and then leave to cook

If I have browned mince, I usually keep back a little of the oil from that rather than adding additional olive oil.

My grandparents are italian and this is how I was taught to make it xx

soappie

Basil is your friend in these circumstances - do you have any fresh or dried in? If fresh, blitz the sauce up with 4 leaves, if dried, try half a tsp first and then add more if necessary