Our CSA Farm has begun to produce an abundance of tomatoes these past few weeks. Aside from eating them like apples, as my three-year-old often chooses to do, you can make fresh tomato salad, salsa, or fresh tomato sauce.

Our very informal uncooked recipe goes something like this:

• Chop a bunch of tomatoes and put them in a bowl.
• Add enough balsamic vinegar and olive oil to cover them.
• Stir fresh minced garlic and chopped fresh basil into the tomato mixture.
• Season with seas salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Let marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.
  
  

This is such a refreshing summer meal when served on pasta with a green salad, or a tasty snack as a bruschetta topping.

If you are looking for a cooked version, this fresh tomato sauce recipe is my favorite. Why? The sauce is loaded with garlic and onions, you stir in an absurdly huge amount of fresh basil at the end, and you can cheat! It is quite easy to make this if you are not picky like me; simply leave the skins and seeds in the tomatoes. It is just as good, and probably more nutritious.

A couple tomato sauce tips:

• Live outside the box: you don't have to serve your tomato sauce over pasta. Try it on a homemade spelt flour pizza crust, over spaghetti squash, or to flavor sauteed eggplant.

• When you serve it, add more delicious goodies: chopped chard (or spinach) and white beans are two of our favorites.
  
  

What's your favorite tomato sauce recipe?