Lacto-ovo vegatarian (has cheese in it), very quick, extremely delicious, and Low GI, especially if you use a wholemeal pasta. I made this tonight with fresh oregano and basil from the garden. Delicious! I’m not sure how much fresh oregano I used, sorry (I’m kind of a “wing it” cook). Maybe four tablespoons or so when it was all chopped. Serves 4 (or possibly 6, if you also serve bread and salad on the side).

Ingredients

• 250-300 g (8-10 ounces) any type pasta, your preference (I like to use wholemeal penne)

• 1/2 to 2/3 cup roughly chopped basil
• 3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced OR 1 425 g (15 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup good balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Chop the tomatoes, garlic, etc. before boiling the pasta.

2. Start the pasta boiling while you prepare the sauce.

3. In a heavy frying pan, cook the garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about two minutes, until the garlic is golden and the aroma is released.

4. Add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, oregano, pepper, and salt, and cover, simmering on low heat for 7-10 minutes until the tomatoes fall apart (if using fresh) and the sauce has reduced.

5. Drain cooked pasta, add to tomato sauce, along with the chopped basil and parmesean cheese. Toss all ingredients together.

It can take a couple of tries to get this to your taste. This was the second time I made it, and I liked it better with the tinned tomatoes than with fresh, surprisingly, but experiment until you get it the way you like it. The recipe above was just right for our taste.

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