Fresh Tomato & Basil Spaghetti Sauce

Dead easy because it requires no cooking and practically no thought, and it's good for summer because you don't heat up the kitchen making it. I got it out of the Weight Watcher's cookbook and am putting it up here because I know I'll forget where I saw it. But there are a lot of other good recipes in "Make it Quick" too, so go buy it if you like this one. (Mandatory advertisement in the hope that WW won't force me to delete this.)

For 4 people

• 8 nice tomatoes (vine-ripened, expensive, the tastier the better) - or 4 large ones
• 1/2 c. fresh basil
• salt
• pepper (fresh ground is best)
• a bruised garlic clove
• Enough spaghetti or other pasta for 4 people

Chop up the tomatoes. Bruise the garlic clove, but don't mush it entirely, because you want to get it out of the sauce before you serve it. Mix all the ingredients except the pasta, and leave it to sit for a bit while the pasta cooks. When the pasta is done, drain the water. Take out the bruised garlic clove (and if you didn't mash it you won't have to spend 10 minutes pulling all the little bits out, which is a pain, trust me). You can either mix the pasta in with the sauce in a big bowl, which looks nice, or serve it separately and spoon the tomatoes over top. Pass Parmesan around to sprinkle on top.

N. B. If you make a double portion of sauce and spaghetti, you can add a chopped tomato and 2-3 c. grated cheese the next day and turn the leftovers into "Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese".