Home-made tomato and basil sauce

One of the simplest and, in my opinion, best pasta sauces is a quick and tasty tomato and basil sauce. Cooking time is only around 20 minutes, and if you have a glut of fresh tomatoes in the garden this is a great way to make good use of them.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500 grams) of fresh tomatoes (any variety will do, but large ripe red juicy tomatoes, beef tomatoes or plum tomatoes are the most suitable)
• Half an onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons of dried basil if fresh is unavailable
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

• Finely chop the onion and garlic and saute in a non-stick saucepan until golden brown
• Skin the tomatoes by scalding in boiling water to loosen the skins, then chop finely
• Add the chopped tomatoes, basil and seasoning to the pan and bring to the boil
• turn down the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is the correct consistency to suit your needs - the longer you cook it the thicker the sauce will become
• Serve over cooked pasta, with a little grated cheese on top for a quick, delicious and healthy supper!

This sauce can easily be made in larger quantities, and will keep for a couple of days if refrigerated, or up to 12 months if frozen. This basic sauce is also very versatile - if you are feeling adventurous you can spice it up with some fresh chillis, add other cooked vegetables, or if cooked for longer and made a little thicker, it can be pureed to make a great pizza sauce.