How to Make Low-Fat Pasta Quickly

This quick, low-fat recipe lets you put homemade pasta on the table in the time it takes to cook the noodles. Forget pasta sauce in the jar over plain spaghetti. Pick a special pasta, make your own sauce and adjust the spices to create your own dish.

Things You'll Need

• Uncooked pasta of choice
• Canned tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
• Fresh flat leaf parsley
• Red onion
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Oregano
• Red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy sauce pan. Dice a small, red onion and add to the hot oil. Saute for 5 minutes. Chop the parsley and set aside.

2. Set a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add salt and the pasta to the water and bring it back to a boil.

3. Mix tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to the onion mixture. Stir well. Reduce the heat and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the oregano, salt and pepper and stir well. Taste and adjust the spices. Reserve a spoonful of the chopped parsley and add the rest of it to the sauce and stir. Remove the sauce from the heat. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.

5. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain in a large colander and rinse with tepid water. Place the pasta in a large bowl and pour the heated sauce over it.

6. Sprinkle the pasta with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

7. Serve with a simple green salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing. Offer a warm baguette or hot garlic bread. Put extra grated cheese on the table.