Fresh Tomato Sauce

Use your own homegrown tomatoes, or the vine-ripened variety from the farmer's market or supermarket. This is a light sauce best served over a delicate pasta such as capellini (angel hair).

Makes 2 1/2 cups sauce; serves 2 as a main dish

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large or 1 small sweet onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 8  medium or 6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), seeded and quartered
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano)
• 3/8 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil)
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 8 ounces capellini or other delicate pasta, cooked according to package directions

In a large skillet on medium-high, heat oil and sauté onion until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic, 1 minute. Add tomato paste, cook and stir until paste is well distributed and has darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until alcohol has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano and basil, and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have released all their juices and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. As tomato skins loosen, use tongs to remove and discard them. If desired, puree sauce using an immersion or countertop blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over capellini.

Pesto

Spaghetti with Pesto, pictured with
Garlic Wilted Spinach and
Baked Cannellini, Zucchini & Peppers 

Makes 1 1/2 cups pesto, for 1 pound pasta

• 1/4 cup raw pine nuts, toasted if desired
• Handful raw almonds or walnuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves (or other leafy green such as spinach, cilantro, arugula, etc.)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor pulse nuts and yeast until a crumbly meal is formed. Add basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and 1/3 of the olive oil. Puree, scraping down the sides as needed. With the motor running, drizzle remaining oil until fully incorporated and mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Pasta

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Pasta
over Spinach Fettuccini,
pictured with Broiled Zucchini

Also excellent served as a soup!

Serves 6

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced, optional
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds crimini or white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
• 1 (15 ounce) can artichokes in water, drained and sliced, optional
• 3 to 4 cups unsweetened almond milk or other nondairy milk
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (reduce if using salted bouillon)
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion (omit if using shallots)
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons porcini mushroom powder, optional
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup unsweetened nondairy milk or water

Heat a large pot of salted water and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, return pasta to pan, toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking, cover and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine dry seasonings: nutritional yeast, bouillon, salt, onion, garlic and pepper and porcini mushroom powder if using; set aside. In a cup whisk together cornstarch and milk until smooth; set aside. Heat oil in a saucepan on medium. Add shallots if using and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic, 1 minute. Add wine if using and simmer until alcohol has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms sauté until mushrooms are softened and have released all their liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in milk, artichokes if using, and seasoning mixture. Bring to a simmer. Whisk cornstarch slurry and, stirring constantly, slowly add to simmering sauce just until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; discard remaining slurry. Turn off heat, taste and adjust seasonings.