Today was a very busy, although very enjoyable day, so the last thing I wanted to deal with was a complicated dish that would also create much heat in the kitchen.

I knew I wanted some type of meat dish and then I thought, hmm, pasta would go well with some ground beef. I already had the tomatoes and basil, so there, voila!

Start to finish, 20 minutes, just in time to watch the Emmy’s and work on my cookbook.

Torre Annunziata Pasta with Organic Yellow Tomatoes, Ground Beef and Parmesan.

Ingredients: Serves 1

• 1cup Torre Annunziata Pasta
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 pound lean ground beef
• salt and pepper to season
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup chopped yellow grape tomatoes
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Preparation:

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. About 8 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the ground beef and season with salt, pepper and oregano. Add the garlic. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat to allow it to cook evenly. Cook until no red is left in the meat. Chop up the tomatoes and add them in with the meat. Cook over medium low heat. add a pinch of salt.

Add the cooked pasta with some of the pasta water, about 4 tablespoons. This will help thicken the sauce and add more flavor. Grate the Parmesan cheese into the mixture. Turn off the heat and add the basil. Carefully mix through to incorporate all of the ingredients.