Tomato pasta sauce what have I done wrong

[soboredtonight]

I've just tried to make a pasta sauce.

I roasted a few types of baby tomatoes all good quality.
Added wine, oxo, salt pepper, garlic, herbs big glass of red wine to a pan and hand blended it.

It's tastes shit. I simmered it for an hour.

What am I doing wrong.

A bit of sugar can help

Sugar and vinegar (not too much) lifts many sauces.

And good olive oil.

I agree with sugar. Is there enough salt in there too?

I would imagine it’s the oxo. Definitely add a pinch of sugar.

Was about to say the same as @eurochick sugar definitely. I'd also add some tomato puree as well.

Did you cook out the wine? Definitely needs a teaspoon or so of sugar and not sure the oxo is necessary.

My tomato sauce is tomatoes (roasted are the best but I usually use tinned), a tablespoon of balsamic, salt and sugar. And cook it down for aaaaaages.

Yep agree with pp you want tomato puree as well, I'm not sure it would be tomatoey enough with just the roasted ones.

It’ll be the OXO cube for sure.

Cocoa and sugar works well in tomato sauces

Try Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce - tomato, onion and butter

www.houseandgarden.co.uk/recipe/marcella-hazan-tomato-sauce

Don’t use oxo

i do tinned tomatoes, Lots garlic and chilli paste. Sugar, tomato purée and Worcester sauce. Can add pancetta or bacon or salt.

Add some tomato puree. Try without the oxo, and sharpen up with a bit of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Use basil or oregano. Add wine near the end if it needs a darker/lower note.

I wouldn't put oxo in and I don't use wine.

Tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic, basil, olive oil. I usually use canned toms though as ££££ with fresh ones.

OXO?!!! Why would you out that in? Agree tomato sauce definitely needs sugar.

I roast the tomatoes and garlic first usually with a pepper then add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, sugar salt and pepper.

I use cheap jars of passata, add garlic, oregano and Worcester sauce and a bit of red cooking wine and a bit of that Waitrose soFrito - always lovely

Ketchup works well too. A generous squirt not a huge amount. It has the sugar and salt content. If you're feeling flush a couple of sun dried tomatoes chopped up too.

Did you cook the garlic first? I wouldn't add everything all at one. Garlic. Then add tomatoes. You don't need oxo!!

Then wine and simmer for an hour. Add seasoning and herbs (or add salt when you add the tomatoes).

It sounds like it hasn't fully cooked and Oxo is just junk youre adding to tasty ingredients.

Oxo is great, but NOT in a pasta tomato sauce. Other than that, it should be lovely.

Bit hard to take it out now though! 🤣

if you have some mince you could make it into a savoury mince or something.

Fresh tomatoes in February are still going to have too much water content and not enough juice to make a sauce. My Italian in-laws and extended family have huge family sauce making sessions in September when the seasons' almost over and the tomatoes are all overripe and squashy.

Rest of the year for decent homemade sauce:

Passata or polpa (Mutti is the best)
More olive oil than you imagine, and let it get hot before the passata goes in (same with fresh, releases the sweetness)
More salt than you'd imagine, and if it tastes bland add more salt before sugar.
Clove of garlic then fish it out towards the end. Couple of basil leaves.

Nothing else (don't always add basil tbh) That's your basic sauce, that you can then add what you want to depending on the dish.

OXO in a tomato sauce? Never heard of that before!
I do 2 onions chopped, some sweet and some smoked paprika and loads of olive oil, touch of butter. Soften the onions then add garlic. After 5 minutes add 2 or 3 tins of the best plum or cherry tomatoes and a pinch of sugar, half a can of water. Simmer for about half an hour. Add some balsamic, blitz (depending on what it’s being used for). Fresh basil leaves sometimes at the end.
I find the quality of fresh tomatoes available to not be great most of the year and as such tend to produce a bit of a bland sauce sadly. There are of course ways to pep this up but honestly I mostly use tins.

Putting Oxo in pasta sauce is a crime, sorry OP.

How does it taste shit ? As in too bitter ?

If so, you can reheat and add in sugar and balsamic.

It does need a good lengthy cook imo.

Oxo?! And you’ve said wine twice… so maybe too much wine? Did you burn the garlic?

If using fresh tomatoes I just roast them with the garlic and herbs, olive oil and salt and pepper then blend.

Tinned tomatoes it depends: for pizza I’d do butter, oregano, chilli flakes, garlic and olive oil, heat through til the flavour pops then add tinned tomatoes and simmer down. Pasta sauce I’d do olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes, heat til the flavour pops then add tinned tomatoes, balsamic and brown sugar, and simmer with a basil stalk in.

Oxo?!

And just drink the wine, leave it out of the sauce.

This is my standard easy/lazy pasta sauce recipe. Fussy husband and fussy children enjoy it too!

Tomato pasta sauce

1tsp lazy garlic
Half onion chopped
Tin chopped tomatoes
Veg stock cube
1tbsp garlic & herb soft cheese
1tsp mixed herbs

Sautée onion & garlic in a little oil for 5 mins.
Add chopped tomatoes, veg stock cube (crumbled), soft cheese and mixed herbs.
Bring to boil and simmer for 5-10 mins.
Blitz with a hand blender.