Pasta with  Marinara Sauce
Every good cook needs a standby marinara sauce—this is mine. Tomatoes are in season now and readily available at your local farmers’ market or grocery store. This recipe requires the use of a stove and about 20 minutes of active cooking time. Your effort will be well worth the final product. 

You will need:

1 pound pasta of your choice
1 medium yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Method:
1.    Place an empty medium-sized pot over medium heat. When hot, add ¼ cup olive oil.
2.    To the oil, immediately add the onion and stir. Cook for four minutes until the onion is translucent.
3.    Add the garlic, stir and cook for 30 seconds.
4.    Add the tomato paste, cook for two minutes until slightly darker in color.
5.    Stir in the raw tomato and cover, leaving a small gap between lid and pan to let out steam. Cook for 40-45 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes.
6.    Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. When finished, drain pasta and pour several cups of sauce into the pot the pasta was cooked in. Toss pasta and sauce together along with other sautéed vegetables, if desired.

Try with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli or summer squash and top with parmesan cheese.

Yields four generous portions.