No-cook tomato and basil pasta sauce

Serves:

Ingredients

• 1 kg ripe tomatoes
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive-oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup basil leaves, torn
• Ground pepper
• 1 large clove garlic, bruised (see instructions below)
• 250g fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped or grated
• 450g pasta shells

Method

Quarter the tomatoes, removing and discarding the cores and all the seeds.

Chop the quarters into smaller pieces and place into a large bowl along with oil, salt, basil and pepper.

To bruise the garlic clove, peel the clove and smash with the pestle from a mortar and pestle or something equally as heavy, but ensure the clove stays in one piece.

Add the garlic to the tomatoes and stir. Using a fork, press down on the tomatoes and basil until they are slightly crushed.

Add the mozzarella and leave to infuse while the pasta is cooking.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet directions.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and toss the tomato sauce through, removing the garlic clove, and serve immediately.

Notes:

• This is surprisingly delicious, especially if you use vine-ripened tomatoes. (And I’m really surprised because I don’t really love raw tomatoes!)
• Removing the seeds from the tomatoes gets rid of that acidity that makes some people (like me) dislike them.
• For a more adult version, try adding 2 teaspoons of dried chili flakes with the oil.
• For the ultimate in simple and divine dining, buy fresh pasta such as papardelle (the really wide long noodles) for this recipe – it’s worth it!
• This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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