Quick Q about making tomato sauce less acidic

[FlightHattendant]

Further to my learning to cook thread a couple of weeks ago, whichw as amazing - thankyou - I've been making nice pasta sauce using various veggies and so on, sometimes quorn mince as well - the only thing is, it tastes a bit 'tart'. I've been using tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, a little salt...don't know what else to add. Tried adding vinegar the other day but that didn't do much.

Please can someone point me at the proper, magic ingredient? Thanks

I would add a little sugar. Usually takes the 'tart' taste away!

Yes, second sugar. It is in most tomato sauce recipes you read

A tiny little bit of brown sugar usually works for me too.

I add sugar or jam. Sometimes apple juice as well.

Thankyou - my mother said sugar but I don['t trust her

Are we talking dark brown soft or granulated golden stuff?

A tiny bit, about half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Makes it fizz a bit, takes the tartness away. Like they say in the shampoo ads - here's the science... The tartness is (ascorbic) acid. Bicarb is alkaline. Bicarb neutralises the acid. Produces carbon dioxide, which is the fizzing, which floats off into the air.

This is handy if you don't want to add sugar to a savory dish.

I always mix my tom puree with a little milk and a teaspoon of sugar before I add it - it seems to do the trick (think I nicked the idea from Nigella or maybe Jamie Oliver... can't remember - but it works!)

Any kind of sugar works (except maybe confectioner's - haven't tried it but would in a pinch). I like dark brown sugar best because it adds a nice rich flavour.

If you're simmering the sauce for a while you can also add a clove or two for extra richness.

Ah this is great, You lot know so much!

Bicarb or sugar next time then. Thanks, my sauces will now taste a bit nicer...

Or a bit of balsamic vinegar with the sugar - adds depth to the flavour.

Chocolate (dark) in bolognaise/chilli sauces.

OMG lou you read my mind - wanted to suggest both but didn't want to confuse a novice cook ("why add vinegar if too acidic..."). But, yes, Flight, if you add some balsamic to the sauce as well as brown sugar that makes it even yummier. And I always dump at least two tablespoons of drak cocoa in my chili.