Tomato Sauce

There is nothing quite like a fresh tomato sauce - sweet, summery and easy to prepare. There are loads of fresh sauces in cookbooks old and new. I used to make one that was basically raw tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil with a little oil, and just heated the ingredients through with the heat from the pasta. I found another interesting one here, though I doubt that she can truly get it done in fifteen minutes.

These days, my fresh sauce looks like this: heat oil, add a clove of garlic, add cut tomatoes, and simmer with a little white wine for 10 minutes or until desired thickness. Of course, I always top with basil. This approach has infinite variables - some shrimp, peas, cheese, and cream are all excellent additions. The tomatoes are all so amazingly sweet and delicious that you really can't go wrong.

- Christiana Thomas