Burning for Flavor

Cool weather puts us in the mood for more substantial fare such as spaghetti with a hearty tomato sauce.

But while most versions tend to be loaded with meat and oil, in our low-fat version plum tomatoes and whole cloves of garlic are grilled on a heavy iron stove-top grill for a slightly charred flavor. They’re then combined with a good, hearty red wine for a sauce that not only has great flavor, but is rich in color.

In about 15 minutes you’ll have a very flavorful low-fat pasta sauce that tastes like it has cooked much longer. Stir in the fresh herbs and you’re ready to serve.

SPAGHETTI WITH CHARRED TOMATO SAUCE

2 pounds plum tomatoes

3 large cloves garlic

1/2 cup red wine

Red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves

1/2 pound spaghetti or linguine, cooked according to package directions and drained

Grated Parmesan cheese

Remove stems from tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Grill tomatoes on pan grill sprayed with mesquite-flavored non-stick cooking spray until tomatoes are lightly charred on both sides and tender. Remove from grill and coarsely chop. Grill whole garlic cloves until charred and chop.

Combine chopped tomatoes and garlic in saucepan. Stir in red wine, red pepper flakes and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tomatoes cook into sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in basil and oregano. Serve over spaghetti. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Each serving contains about:

561 calories; 639 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 109 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 3.33 grams fiber.