# Good spagetti sauce recipe? Mine is too tart, any ideas why?



## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

I've been trying to make a good, all purpose tomato sauce with only minimal luck. It ends up too tart. My very favorite jar sauce is Mario Batali's (from Food Channel's Molto Mario) but it's hard to find. It's so smooth and mild! Yum! It's not overly seasoned, not too salty, and not tart in the least. It's like a good red wine.

I searched on the internet and found "Mario Batali's Basic Pasta Sauce" :
1/4 C ex virg olive oil
1 "Spanish" onion (anyone know what a Spanish onion is?)
4 cloves garlic
1 tbls dry thyme or 3 tbls fresh
1/2 carrot, shredded
1 28-oz can peeled whole tomatoes

I bet I didn't put enough carrot in. In any case, this doesn't taste anything like his bottled sauce. Anyway, I was thinking if I can't consistantly find his bottled sauce maybe I can make it myself. Now I'm willing to just find any good recipe. I'm getting very picky about our spagetti sauce. The rest of the bottled sauces just don't cut it anymore.

Does anyone have any theories about how to keep the tart out of the sauce? (Or, keep the floozie out of the drink? :LOL







: )

Please share your spagetti sauce recipes here! I need a good one!


----------



## Marlena (Jul 19, 2002)

I'd suggest checking the quality of your ingredients, particularly the star of the show - tomatoes - before worrying further about the recipe (or perhaps at the same time as you're worrying about the recipe).

Dunno about the recipe per se, but I find I have much better luck with tomato sauces using canned tomatoes when I use, say, Muir Glen organic fire roasted tomatoes, or San Marzano tomatoes. The quality of those tomatoes is SOOOO much better than, say, the generic brand canned tomatoes we use in our soups, Indian curries, etc.


----------



## LeShea (Aug 20, 2002)

a pinch of sugar will help with the tartness. I use it to help keep the tomatos from killing my stomach with all the acid. HTH


----------



## dharmama (Dec 29, 2002)

Yup. I second the sugar...though I've been using honey lately since I'm trying not to use sugar. Works great!









~Erin


----------



## WendyLouWho (Apr 16, 2002)

Another pinch of sugar user here, too.

My spaghetti sauce recipe is something of a kitchen sink thing...last night it included zucchini, onions, carrots, peppers, spices and the little pinch of sugar.


----------



## PMSmom (Feb 21, 2004)

If sugar doesn't work, try a pinch of baking soda.


----------



## Lucky Charm (Nov 8, 2002)

Another sugar user here. I start with a little bit, then add more as needed.


----------



## LoriG (Feb 27, 2003)

My friend puts a pinch of baking soda in her sauce to help with that.

I have a GREAT sauce recipe .. everyone loves it! I love to make it for company because it goes over so well. I'll have to post it later. And no, I don't put sugar in it. It doesn't need it


----------



## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

LoriG, I'm waiting...


----------



## LoriG (Feb 27, 2003)

LOL!! It's really easy, actually.

I saute garlic and onions in extra virgin olive oil. I saute them until they get carmelized. YUM.
Then I add 4 cans of crushed tomatoes, and a can of puree tomatoes.
Add:
salt, pepper, oregano, basil, crushed rosemary, garlic powder, and a few cubes of beef boullion.

We always cook meat with it, so I throw in meatballs, sausage, and either pork bones or proscuitto.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

This comes out perfect every time! We made it last sunday for company and they all wanted the recipe LOL


----------



## Quillian (Mar 1, 2003)

brown sugar in our sauce.


----------

