Fresh Tomato With Fresh Ginger Sauce

This sauce is not a traditional Italian sauce, but don't let that stop you -- the surprise of fresh ginger in a tomato sauce is utterly delicious. This is a great sauce to make ahead and reheat when you need a really quick meal. To make this sauce even quicker, you can serve it unpureed or unmilled -- but I think the extra step of smoothing it out better distributes the ginger flavor. This sauce is superb with spaghetti or any long, thin, dried pasta. Recipe by David Rosengarten

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup  minced shallot
• 2  teaspoons  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2  cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 2  cups  diced peeled fresh ripe tomatoes (if necessary, you may use an equivalent amount of canned tomatoes)
• 1  pinch sugar
•  salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄4 cup  minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions

1. Cook the shallots, ginger, and garlic in the butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat for 4 minutes, stirring.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and the sugar, and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Put the sauce through a food mill or puree in a food processor or blender until smooth.
5. Toss with hot pasta and parsley leaves.
6. Serve immediately.
7. This recipe yields 4 servings, enough sauce for 1 pound of dried pasta.