Tomato sauce for pasta

Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not
so great) words of knowledge:

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?

The longer you simmer the sauce the less bitter/acidic the sauce will
be. In addition it blends the flavors more.

Think about this for a moment - When you reheat pasta sauce doesn't it
usually taste better - less acidic and more flavorful ?

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?
--
floods

Quoted message said:

But rinds from parmesan reggiano might be OK, but it will change the color
of your sauce a wee bit to a light orange-ish color.

Try some vodka and make a vodka sauce and see what you think.
Google a recipe.
Good luck,
Dee Dee

In article <[email hidden]>, c@&dog.net
says...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?

Experiment with different brands of tomatoes to find one that is to your
liking. I find Hunts and Del Monte to be well balanced. Avoid even the
slightest scorching/burning at the bottom of the pan. If you are
unusually sensitive to acid it may be a difficult task.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths pages at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

rosso said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?

The longer you simmer, the sweeter it is.

http://www.sequoiagrove.dk/recipies.php?recipe=11

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"rosso" <c@&dog.net> wrote in news:FEEcg.19743$M94.15423@newsfe3-
gui.ntli.net:

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?

I use Delmonte's organic tomato paste, not any canned or jarred spaghetti
sauce, because of the sodium content, etc. Never learned to make my own
sauce.

Two tablespoons tomato paste for 2 ounces (uncooked) pasta. That and a
tablespoon of grated parmesan regiano and (for me, meatless) meatballs.

There's a little "tang" to tomato paste but other than homemade pesto,
it's great stuff, imho.

Good luck,

Andy

rosso said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?

There is nothing wrong with canned tomatoes. You just need to use a good
brand. Sweetness comes from simmering and using a quality tomato. Adding
sugar will only emulate most bottled sauces which are made from low
quality tomatoes with a ton of corn syrup and salt added to mask the
bitternes.

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?
--
floods

Canned tomatoes can be very different in taste and consistency and acidity.
In my house we always try different brands, and even when you find a good
one it might be different from can to can.
I'm not sure but i recall i have seen Mutti tomatoes, while i was in the
US, and actually that's my favorite.
As someone mentioned , Del Monte, De Rica, Cirio are quite good, but at
times you need to mix different brands according to the sauce you are
cooking.
For example, you need a very low acid tomato for "butter tomato and basil"
sauce, while for the "Arrabbiata" sauce you can use a bit more acid one.

Guido
--
__________________________________________
http://www.yummyfood.net
Quick and easy international recipes

rosso' c@&dog.net said:

I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes

Do you live in antarctica?

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For email, use usenet-20060507[at]spamex[dot]com

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.

(snip)

I use either Del Monte, Progresso or Contadina tomatoes, and my sauce
simmers for only about 30 minutes (I'm not patient enough to allow simmering
for long periods of time). I add a couple of "glugs" of white wine just
before the sauce has finished simmering. The wine has just enough sugar to
balance the acidity in canned tomatoes.

Sharon

LurfysMa said:

rosso' c@&dog.net said:

I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes

Do you live in antarctica?

Danish prices are around $3-6 for a pound.

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music, Recipes, Photos, and more:

http://www.sequoiagrove.dk

"You don´t frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, sons
of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur-king, you and
all your silly English kaniggets. Thppppt!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?
--
floods

Just add a little sugar. That usually works.

kili

SBarbour wrote on 23 May 2006 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.

(snip)

I use either Del Monte, Progresso or Contadina tomatoes, and my sauce
simmers for only about 30 minutes (I'm not patient enough to allow
simmering for long periods of time). I add a couple of "glugs" of
white wine just before the sauce has finished simmering. The wine has
just enough sugar to balance the acidity in canned tomatoes.

Sharon

A pinch...And I mean a pinch of Baking soda...This will reduce the
acidity in a tomato sauce without effecting the taste.. But I can't
Stress enough a pinch only.

--
-Alan

c@&dog.net said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?

carrots

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.
Someone told me to use fromage freis. Does
this work and it must change the character
and colour of the sauce?
--
floods

You can add 1 tsp of sodium bicarbonate and 1 tsp of sugar. This tip was
told me by my old aunt. Try! You will see your acidic taste goes away,
Cheers
Pandora

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.

(snip)

I use either Del Monte, Progresso or Contadina tomatoes, and my sauce
simmers for only about 30 minutes (I'm not patient enough to allow simmering
for long periods of time). I add a couple of "glugs" of white wine just
before the sauce has finished simmering. The wine has just enough sugar to
balance the acidity in canned tomatoes.

Funny that you mention sugars. My grandmother, father and now myself
adds about a tblsp of sugar to a large batch of tomatoe sauce to cut the
acid. I would imagine thought that a good red wine would also work.

Time to experiment.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

LurfysMa said:

rosso' c@&dog.net said:

I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes

Do you live in antarctica?

Danish prices are around $3-6 for a pound.

Funny - prices around my part of the world, RI, USA happen to be about
$2 to $3 a pound. Cherry and grape tomatoes are astronomical.

But shop around. For example, I love asparagus. The local Shaw's
(Albertsons, soon to be CVS/SuperValue) has thick stalks for $2.99 a
pound while the Stop & Shop near my office has nice thin stalks for
$1.99 a pound.

That's just two stores, and there are quite a few more in the 3 mile
radius I just mentioned.

Supposedly Price Rite in my area has the best produce.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

SBarbour wrote on 23 May 2006 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

"rosso" <c@&dog.net> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I find some tomato sauces very bitter and acidic.
I don't have easy access to cheap tomatoes
so I use canned ones.
How do I ensure my sauces will not be bitter?
I tried using sugar but it was only slightly
effective.

(snip)

I use either Del Monte, Progresso or Contadina tomatoes, and my sauce
simmers for only about 30 minutes (I'm not patient enough to allow
simmering for long periods of time). I add a couple of "glugs" of
white wine just before the sauce has finished simmering. The wine has
just enough sugar to balance the acidity in canned tomatoes.

Sharon

A pinch...And I mean a pinch of Baking soda...This will reduce the
acidity in a tomato sauce without effecting the taste.. But I can't
Stress enough a pinch only.

Mmmm - interesting. An antacid for the tomato sauce.

Ted Campanelli said:

The longer you simmer the sauce the less bitter/acidic the sauce will
be. In addition it blends the flavors more.

The longer, or the shorter. Rule of thumb is to cook fresh tomatoes
either less than 15 minutes or more than 3 hours. In between is when
the sauce is most likely to have a bitter tinge. Especially in the
summertime when good tomatoes are available, I like to cook the
non-tomato components of a sauce (like the onions, garlic, mushrooms,
or whatever) first, then add the tomatoes and fresh herbs at the end
for no more than about ten minutes. -aem

Quoted message said:

tried using sugar but it was only slightly effective.

Add a carrot or two. Whole (so you can remove it) or cut into
retrieveable pieces. They have natural sweetness and will also add
some flavor to your sauce. This is an old Italian Granny type trick.
I think I picked it up from Lidia Bastianich.