Meatless Monday: Garden Fresh Pasta Bowl

I love this time of year: the vegetable garden in our backyard really comes into its own. Until now, there have been herbs and raspberries, Swiss chard and kale. But when the tomatoes finally ripen, it’s happy days. I made this tomato sauce using only herbs and vegetables from the garden, and it was so quick and simple. (My husband even made the tagliatelle himeself, using a pasta maker and a recipe from Jamie’s Italy cookbook.) But the sauce? Nothing fancy required. Just fresh produce and a saucepan:

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 large field tomatoes, chopped

Handful each fresh rosemary, thyme and Italian flat-leaf parsley

1 diced onion

2 Tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil

1 teaspoon (5 mL) sugar

1 cup (250 mL) red wine

In a saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes and herbs, plus the red wine and sugar. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and simmer until mixture thickens, about another 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and enjoy over your favourite pasta or whole grain.