Fresh tomato basil pasta sauce – a twist on the traditional

There’s something about a fresh tomato sauce for pasta. It just screams summer, and tastes infinitely better when the tomatoes are locally grown, and even better than that when they are from your own garden. No, it’s true. I’m thinking of conducting a blind taste test to prove it.

You’d think that this sauce would be akin to a margherita pizza to me: something you don’t mess with because it is so perfect in its traditionalness. I just couldn’t help myself. I messed with it and it’s fabulous.

I didn’t go doing anything crazy; I didn’t add any trendy ingredients and I didn’t get fancy. Instead, I just gave it a little protein and swtched things up a bit. Respect for the traditional while honoring lower-carb fare — it’s a winner!

Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce with White Beans, Sausage and Feta
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There’s not a lot of measuring that happens when this recipe is created, so I’ll give you approximates and just let your tastes take you to your perfect dish.

Ingredients:

about 5 juicy tomatoes, chopped
15-oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
about 1/3 cup fresh basil, chiffonade style
balsamic vinegar (maybe 1/4 cup?)
extra virgin olive oil (try 1/4 cup of this one too)
2 cloves garlic, cooked for about 1 minute in a bit of olive oil, just to take the edge off
dried oregano to taste (I probably used 1/2 teaspoon)
lots of freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. cooked pasta (we used brown rice rotini but you could use quinoa pasta for more protein)
1 pound chicken pesto sausage (Trader Joe’s), grilled and sliced
feta cheese

Prepare the tomatoes, white beans, basil, oregano, garlic and seasonings in a bowl and cover with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Marinate at room temperature for as long as you feel comfortable. I couldn’t get my act together — I know, that’s hard to believe — so it only sat for about a half hour and it was good, but longer would have been better.

Toss sauce with pasta and sausage and serve at room temperature. Sprinkle with feta cheese just before serving.

The traditional cheese to serve with this dish would be mozzarella, or even some grated Parmesan. We had feta, I like feta and it worked. You see, a twist on the traditional doesn’t have to be blasphemous.