Fresh Tomato Vegan Pasta Sauce

If I was on a deserted island and had to choose  only one food to take with me it would be pasta! Hands down, pasta is my favorite food.  I love it because there are ENDLESS ways to prepare it. It comes in so many different sizes and shapes. You can add anything to it. It makes great leftovers. It's good in any season of the year. If you're gluten intolerant, there are numerous gluten-free pastas available.  Best of all its inexpensive!

I have so many "favorite" pasta recipes but with summer upon us and tomatoes growing in my garden I am sharing my Summertime No-Cook Pasta Sauce.  Since this vegan pasta recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, I only prepare it in the summer when fresh tomatoes are bountiful.  I usually use my own Early Girl tomatoes from my garden but any fresh local tomatoes will do.  I just wouldn't use the flavor-less tomatoes from a grocery store.  This recipe is super easy so even if you don't like to cook you won't mind making this.  Just dump all the ingredients together, let it sit awhile, cook the pasta, mix it together and dinner is ready! 

 NO-COOK TOMATO PASTA SAUCE (VEGAN)

2 pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety), cored and diced into 1/2 inch pieces.  It should be about 4 cups.

1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried 

2-3 fresh garlic cloves, minced, depending on how much raw garlic you can handle

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl (non-reactive).  Mix well and let sit at room temperature  at least one hour but up to 3. When ready to serve, cook 12-16 ounces of pasta. You can use any pasta but short, thick pasta like penne or rotelle is best. Toss cooked pasta and sauce together.  Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve right away.

Enjoy!

Tenli

 (This recipe is from Evan Kleiman, a chef and cookbook author of Pasta Fresca)