What is my alternative to balsamic vinegar when making a pomodoro sauce?

You don't need vinegar of any sort to make a pomodoro.   The minimum requirements are:  olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, and salt.  You almost always add a little sugar (amount depends on the tomatoes), onion and basil as well.  Everything else is some sort of variation.

I understand the reason you're asking for a substitute is that balsamic is not available where you live.  

Could you use balsamic vinegar in a pomodoro?  Sure.  Why not?  Shallots?  I don't see the point -- they'd just get lost -- but knock yourself out if you like.

Since balsamic vinegar is not a traditional part of the sauce, there's no compulsion to replace it.  Just use plain white sugar (which is more "traditonal" anyway) to adjust the sugar balance to taste.  Or, you could use any sweetener. even honey.

BDL

 

I don;t understand what you mean by a "pomodoro sauce" - pomodoro means tomato.  I never heard of tomato sauce with vinegar of any kind.  But maybe this is a raw sauce?  or is it cooked?  you give the ingredients but not the technique.  Just curious. 

 

Yeah, but what does the recipe say?  do you cook it?  is it raw?  It's not clear. 

 

That recipe is somewhat similar to a tomato olive coulis we make at the restaurant though I don't honestly think it makes a particularly great pasta sauce (we use it for other things).  If you're doing pasta you can just omit the vinegar altogether.

 

Is it cooked?  do you sautee the garlic and shallots in the oil?  do you just pyut it all together in the pot?  do you put it all, raw, in the blender????

 

 Boar d Laze is correct Balsamic in a Filet D' Pomodoro  I think not. Your version could have it but not the classic. The shallots are also optional. As far as sweetening you may not need sugar if the tomatoes are good. A pinch of baking soda could also tend to sweeten. Good Luck

 

Pomodoro Sauce with Balsamic sounds a little too sweet to me considering your Shrimps and Shallots have such sweetness to them.
I would forgo the Basamic myself as well as any sugar additives....If you would like some herbal sweetness Fresh Basil is nice and on the other hand  Tarragon is another way to go....

Gypsy

 

I just reread the recipe and realized Basil was one of the main ingrediants...maybe Oregano then

 

is it cooked???  How is it cooked?  sauteed then simmered?  simmered only?  or is it a raw sauce? 

 

I do a pomodoro sauce from Sicily.  No vinegar.  I do put some pork bones and meat in during the simmering, which gives it a nice flavor.  I also use San Marzano tomatoes.

 

Cyberdoc's suggestion sounds yummy. 

On a side note, I thought pomodoro doesn't need vinegar? 

 

Will somebody please answer Siduri's question? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rollsmile.gif

 

I think the OP has gone  AWOL.

Surely it must be a cooked sauce, what with the garlic and shallots.  Saute garlic and shallots in the EVOO, then add your tomatoes etc and simmer until everything is nice and mushy.

I can't imagine it as a raw sauce.  But I do wish OP would reply....

 

HomeMadeCook - that is a list of ingredients, not a recipe.  Could you please elaborate and put "pen to paper" on the methods of making this sauce please /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif

 

That's what i would think, DC, but then i would imagine whoever wrote the recipe would have written the ingredients in the order in which they;re used: oil, garlic, shallots, tomatoes, etc. 
On the other hand, I have heard of sauces that were done raw - probably not traditional ones, but sauces nevertheless, and some are actually good.  Because of the order of appearance of the ingredients and the presence of vinegar, it sounded like one of these cold sauces.  The one i tasted was raw but blended.  It used tomatoes at the height of the season and was pretty nice.  Like a warm pasta salad. 
One very common dressing for pasta is pasta al caprese: raw tomatoes and mozzarella cut up with oil, raw garlic and salt.  Dump it into the hot pasta and let it sit a minute as the cheese warms. 

 

In Naples it's Salsa alle Vongole (Clam sauce ),in Genoa it's Pesto or (Salsa Verde ) in southern Italy it's Tomato Sauce or (Salsa di Pomodoro). Wherever you may travel in Italy, sauce is the crowning touch to pasta --the touch which transforms a plain flour and egg mixture into an elegant entree.   Tomato Sauce is a 'Mother Sauce' which means it can be transformed from it's basic into well...Salsa di Carni Pomodoro ( Tomato Meat Sauce)  Rose Sauce ( Tomato Cream) Vodka Sauce (Tomato with cream and Pancetta finished with Vodka ),  Tomato Coulis, or you can finish braised meat dishes such as stew, and other derivatives 
It is Tomato Sauce and yes it is cooked ...everyone has their own version in my experiance , and their own favourite Tomatoes canned or fresh....Chef's everywhere have chewed the fat on that one!

I hope this was helpfull Siduri

Gypsy

 

Siduri - I can now see how it could be a cold sauce, as per what you said with the order of ingredients as listed. I would prefer to do it as warm sauce.

Gypsy - I concur that it must be a warm sauce, preferably.  But it could be cold, as per what Siduri posted.  Although I would hesitate at using uncooked garlic.  The rest is fine uncooked, but I really don;t like garlic to be raw in a sauce,  It needs some heat to take the sulphur taste out of it.