With the arrival of autumn and the first frost, let’s get back to the kitchen to concoct little cocooning recipes. Tomato sauce is one of the essentials and is the basis of our favorite dishes. Find out how baking soda will revolutionize your sauce. For our pasta, pizza, lasagna, meat or fish, nothing beats a good homemade tomato sauce. But how to be successful? Sometimes too thick, too runny, too bland or too sour. Here are some cooking tips for making a juicy sauce.

How to get rid of the acidity of tomato sauce with baking soda?

Everyone knows that the worst enemy of tomato sauce is acidity. We simmer our little sauce with love for hours and think that we will enjoy it. But at the time of tasting, it is disappointing, the hint of acidity outweighs the rest of the dish and spoils the pleasure.

To bring tomato sauce in line, a few tips should be followed. You should know that the acidity is more or less pronounced depending on the variety of tomato and the degree of ripeness. Also note that the seeds concentrate most of the acid, so it is better to remove them for cooking.

The most famous trick that many already practice reducing the acidity of the sauce is to add a little sugar. Yes, it works, but in reality, the sugar only masks the acidity and does not eliminate it. In addition, it can change the taste of the sauce and make it too sweet, not to mention people who can’t consume it.

This is the whole point of baking soda. In fact, as we learn in cooking school, it has the property of neutralizing the acidity of food and regulating its PH. By adding a few pinches to your sauce while cooking, you can sweeten it without changing its flavor. You will see some bubbles forming on the surface of the sauce, evidence of the chemical reaction taking place. Besides, this is especially interesting for people who have a weak stomach and do not tolerate acidic foods well. This also applies to the preparation of your fruit coulis or your jams. If you don’t have baking soda on hand, you can always cook your tomatoes with a nice fresh carrot or date for a natural sweetness that corrects the acidity.

Flavor tips for a fragrant tomato sauce

Another recurring problem with tomato sauce is its lack of flavor. Here are some simple tips to take your palate on a journey and transport your guests to the shores of the Mediterranean.

  • Choose the right tomatoes:

You can prepare your sauce with very ripe, peeled and crushed fresh tomatoes or canned whole tomatoes. On the other hand, never take the tomato puree as a sauce base. You can simply add a hazelnut at the end of cooking to enhance the color, no more. The best tomatoes are those with low water content and few seeds such as San Marzano, Big Mama, Roma or Juliette tomato. Cherry tomatoes are also very aromatic.

  • Olive oil:

Just as you can’t make omelets without breaking eggs, you can’t make tomato sauce without olive oil. It is the mandatory ingredient after tomatoes, salt and pepper and alone brings the taste of Italy to your plate. It can be used at the beginning of cooking to brown the ingredients and add a splash at the end to bring out the flavor.

  • Garlic and onion:

They add flavor and depth to your sauce. Sauté them first in olive oil before adding the tomatoes. Be careful not to color them too much or the sauce will become bitter.

  • Aromatic herbs:

Thyme, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, parsley, basil. There is something for everyone, depending on the desired taste. They give character to the sauce, provided you use them well. Aromatic herbs must be added at the end of cooking to not be altered and release the maximum flavor.

  • Cooking:

Depending on the recipe, there are different types and consistencies of sauces, more liquid or reduced. Cook pasta quickly over high heat in a large pan for 15 to 20 minutes for a fresh and liquid result. For lasagna or a roast, opt instead for a cooked and reduced sauce cooked over low heat in a thick pot with a cooking time of 45 minutes to 1 hour. Now that you know all about tomato sauce and its secrets, all you have to do is get in the kitchen to bring Italy to your plate.