Sweet Tomato Ricotta Spaghetti

with a pinch of Basil

A wonderfully classic Italian spaghetti made with fresh plum tomatoes, smooth creamy ricotta, plus a little Montello cheese. A deliciously rounded sauce is finished with crushed red pepper and a hint of basil to give little tummies their first authentic taste of Italy.

Tip: Make double the sauce and freeze in small portions for a quick meal with freshly cooked pasta.

Ingredients

1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400g)
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
200g pasta (spiral or spaghetti)
100g ricotta
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ a red pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
fresh black pepper

Method

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and sauté these until they are transparent (around 8 minutes). Add the chopped red pepper and carrot and cook for a further few minutes.
Add the tin of tomatoes, tomato paste and a few twists of the black pepper mill and stir. Increase the heat slightly and let the sauce start to bubble away for a few minutes, then reduce the heat.
Put on a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil, add pasta to water and cook until 'al dente' approximately 8- 10 minutes.
Add the ricotta, parmesan and basil to the sauce and stir through.
Either puree or leave as a chunky tomato sauce.