eHealth Connection

June 2008

Health eCooking: Pasta with Fresh Chopped Tomato Sauce

Here’s a summer-perfect pasta dish with Continental flair. A light, no-cook sauce of fresh, wholesome ingredients makes for an easy one-dish supper that presents with simplicity and style. Whole grain, al dente-cooked pasta provides fiber; the sauce – a colorful blend of tomatoes, basil, garlic, arugula, Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinaigrette – offers high vitamins and minerals, and reduced calories and fat. Click here to install the free Adobe Flash plug-in to view this video.

Ingredients

1 lb whole grain penne pasta
1 lb fresh tomatoes
3 oz arugula, washed and stemmed
1 1/3 cups fresh basil
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
3 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Chop fresh tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and place them in a large pasta serving bowl.
3. With a vegetable peeler, shave thick slices of cheese into the bowl; grate the cheese that is too small to shave, leaving remaining cheese for garnish.
4. Tear arugula and basil into small pieces. Add to the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, except the pasta. Toss well.
5. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and immediately toss pasta with the sauce until well coated. Serve in individual pasta bowls and sprinkle with extra Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and freshly ground pepper. It’s a Pasta Party!

Yield: 8 servings

Nutrition Information Per Serving

Calories: 290
Fat: 8 grams
Saturated fat: 3 grams
Cholesterol: 9 mg
Sodium: 174 mg
Carbohydrate: 47 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Protein: 14 grams

To schedule an appointment with a Cooper University Physician, please call 1-800-8-COOPER (1-800-826-6737) to speak with a member of our physician referral and information service.