One of the worst consumers of environmental resources is food packaging. I have now introduced a new category “Fast Food Recipes” and I will use this category to make posts about how you can make your own healthy “Fast Food” such as burgers, pizza’s, chip/fries and the like, but also fast food in the sense that it will take just a few minutes to cook. When I was a student, I often went for the quick pasta stir in sauce option, which was covered in packaging and most likely, full of “E numbers” that couple with all the beer I was guzzling, was not very good for me. So, it seems right, that now I have mended my ways, I will start with a Basic Pasta tomato Sauce

Ingredients
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes, or equivalent amount of fresh tomatoes
½ tsp dried chili flakes (optional)
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 large handful basil leaves, torn into small pieces
A liberal sprinkle of dried oregano
Salt & Pepper to season

Method
Gently sweat the onion and garlic until softened in the oil. Stir in the tomatoes, chili flakes, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly for 1 hour to an hour and a half. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. blend lightly in a food processor for a smooth sauce to your satisfaction. Personally I just give it a quick blend to break down the larger chunks of tomato and onion, but I don’t blend it enough so that it ends up like a soup.

Eco benefits and Storage
This can then be stored in your freezer in airtight Tupperware dishes, and used as and when required, just like a pasta stir-in or as a base for a more ingredient rich pasta sauce involving meat and vegetables. It offers the same “Fast food” appeal as the branded pasta stir-ins off the shelf and is packaging free. Now this is the best bit about this sauce- It could be more or less FREE. You can grow your own tomatoes, onions and garlic in most climates, either outdoors or under glass. So next time you reach on the shelves of your local grocery store for the pasta stir in, have a second thought