Want to be patriotic--the perfect dish to celebrate 150 years of Italy's nationhood

Who says you can't make a vegetarian meal appetising!

For a light, tasty, easy-to-prepare meal serve your favourite pasta with a freshly-made quick tomato sauce and ricotta. 

Using predominantly fresh, seasonal products, little preparation, the end result is a dish you'll want to share with your family and friends.

Ingredients

• Dried short or long pasta (allow approx 100gr per person)
• 2  tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1  onion thinly chopped
• 2  cloves of garlic thinly chopped (optional)
• 400gr tin diced or peeled tomatoes and/or fresh ripe tomatoes, diced
• small amount of chopped parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 100-150gr ricotta per serve
• fresh basil leaves for garnish

Optional: You can add your choice of vegetables - celery, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, etc. - chopped)

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add chopped parsley.

If using additional vegetables, add them at this point and cook a further 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Stir in the canned/fresh diced tomatoes, add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, reduce heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and allow excess water in the sauce to evaporate (20 to 30 minutes).

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water. Follow packet instructions or cook until 'al dente'. Drain.

Add the sauce to pasta. Stir to combine. Divide the pasta among serving plates. Top with ricotta and garnish with basil leaves.

And now enjoy with family and friends!

Tomato sauce and ricotta pasta...yummy

Note:

Depending on the pasta you use, the cooked sauce is enough for 4-6 people. Any sauce that is not used when first cooked should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can be kept for up to 5 days.

Buon Appetito! - Let me know how it goes for you