Although nothing can beat the taste of a fresh tomato sauce made from just-picked, sun-ripened Roma tomatoes, this is the next best thing. Since the tomato season is so short, we enjoy this delicious and simple sauce the rest of the year. This quantity of sauce goes with about 500 grams of pasta, but you can cook less pasta and store the remaining sauce in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days.

Makes about 1 litre of sauce/ Serves 6

Ingredients

3tbsp Clearspring Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 ts dried oregano
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed (about 2 tsp)
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
800g tinned organic chopped tomatoes
1tsp Clearspring Mikawa Mirin
500 grams Clearspring Semi Whole Wheat Fusilli
2 tbs fresh basil, coarsely chopped
CLearspring Traditional Sea Salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. In a medium saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over a medium-low heat, add oregano, onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.

2. Add the carrot, celery and a small pinch of salt and sauté briefly. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. While vegetables are cooking, put 3 litres of water for boiling pasta in a large pot over a high heat.

4. Add the tomatoes and mirin to the vegetables, increase the heat to high until simmering, then lower to medium and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

5. When the sauce is nearly done, add a teaspoon of salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the directions on the pack, until ‘al dente'.

6. While the pasta is cooking, remove the sauce from the heat, stir in the basil and remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Drain the pasta, toss it with enough sauce to coat generously, and serve immediately.