Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
  • 1 (400 g) tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A small handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
  • 300 g penne pasta (or any shape you prefer)
  • 3 sundried tomatoes (packed in oil or dried)
  • Grated cheddar or parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. Pour olive oil into a medium saucepan. Add diced onion and sweat on low heat with a lid for about 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Stir occasionally.
  2. Add crushed garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring often to prevent burning.
  3. Incorporate chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and half of the basil into the saucepan. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Add sundried tomatoes to the pasta water to rehydrate.
  5. Before draining the pasta, retrieve the sundried tomatoes, chop them finely, and mix them into the sauce.
  6. Drain the pasta and stir it into the sauce, adding a couple of tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water for extra creaminess. Serve topped with cheese and remaining basil.