A Sauce for Ripe Tomato Season

When the deep red tomatoes of summer arrive in stores and farmers markets, I turn to one of my favorite recipes: a simple roasted tomato sauce for pasta.

I like this sauce on pennette, the smaller version of penne. Once you’ve cooked the pasta and topped it with sauce, all the dish needs is a bit of fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Rather than brushing the tomatoes with oil, spray them with olive oil cooking spray before roasting to keep the dish low in fat. A bit of sugar carmelizes the tomatoes and brings out their flavor.

Pennette With Roasted Tomato Sauce

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Olive oil cooking spray

2 pounds Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt, pepper

1 cup dry pennette

Water

Basil leaves, shredded

Grated Parmesan cheese

* Spray 3-quart glass baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange tomato quarters in dish in single layer. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper. Bake at 250 degrees until tomatoes are totally collapsed and easily mashed with a fork, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

* When tomatoes are almost done, cook and drain pasta according to package directions; keep warm.

* Mash tomatoes with fork until crushed into sauce. If sauce seems dry, moisten with water. Divide pasta into bowls, spoon sauce on top and sprinkle with basil and Parmesan.

3 servings. Each serving: 202 calories; 125 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.92 grams fiber.

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Plate and napkins from Windows, Pasadena.

Donna Deane’s book “Low Fat Kitchen” includes more than 100 recipes created especially for this column. To order, call (800) 246-4042. The price is $20.45 including shipping and sales tax.