2 pasta recipes with delicious homemade tomato sauce

Never buy bottled sauce again! The tasty sauces in these recipes can be whipped up in no time at all, and all the ingredients can be kept on hand for whenever you wish. Try these easy tomato sauce recipes the next time you're feeling Italian.

During the summer, when fresh tomatoes are plentiful and cheap, substitute 1.5 kilograms (three pounds) fresh, chopped tomatoes for the canned.

Makes about 6 servings

• 1 x 540-ml (16 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 x 156-ml (5 1/2 oz) can tomato paste
• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano, crumbled
• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried basil, crumbled
• 5 ml (1 tsp) sugar
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) black pepper
• 1 batch homemade spaghetti or 500 g (16 oz) purchased spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese1. In a large saucepan over moderate heat, combine the tomatoes and their liquid, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes.2. Meanwhile, cook the homemade spaghetti until just tender or follow the package directions for commercial spaghetti.

  3. Serve the sauce over the spaghetti and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Incomparable on its own, bursting with the flavour of fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes, this classic also forms the base for many other pasta sauces.

Overripe tomatoes can be used in this recipe, and impart an especially intense flavour. If tomatoes are not in season, you can substitute canned Italian plum tomatoes. But fresh tomato sauce just can't come in a can.

Makes 710 millilitres (three cups)

• 1.5 kg (3 lb) ripe fresh tomatoes or 900-ml (35 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
• 30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) chopped fresh basil leaves, or 10 ml (2 tsp) dried basil, crumbled
• 5 ml (1 tsp) sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) salt
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• 500 g (1 lb) hot cooked pasta, such as spaghetti, vermicelli, or linguine
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese1. If using fresh tomatoes, in a large, nonreactive saucepan or Dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for one minute to loosen the skins, then transfer the tomatoes to a bowl of cold water. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to paper towels to drain. Peel the tomatoes, cut them in half, and squeeze gently to expel the seeds; chop the tomato flesh.2. In a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan or Dutch oven over moderate heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook one minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, and sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, 12 to 15 minutes.

  3. Stir in the salt and pepper. Serve over the hot cooked pasta with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled over all.

  One-minute substitute:

• If a recipe calls for 500 millilitres (two cups) tomato sauce and you don't have any on hand, combine 175 millilitres (3/4 cup) tomato paste and 250 millilitres (one cup) water in a 500 millilitres (two cup) measure and whisk until the mixture is well blended.

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