Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta (Vegan!!) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 large ripe tomatoes (2 cups roughly chopped, 1 1/2 cups blended)
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 -4 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
6 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
1 teaspoon salt (edit ( upped from 3/4!)
2 -3 tablespoons wine (optional) or 2 -3 tablespoons water (optional)
1 -2 teaspoon coarse black pepper, Freshly Ground
1 large handful fresh basil leaf, chopped

Preparation

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
Core the tomato, then roughly chop it. Add it to your blender, seeds, skin and all. Add cashews, tomato paste, and water. Blend until very smooth.
Add olive oil to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn. Once water is boiling, add pasta. Pour sauce from the blender into the saute pan and bring to a simmer. Add salt and let cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If desired add wine/water to thin out the sauce. Taste and season more if necessary. Let simmer until pasta is finished cooking. Once pasta is cooked, drain. Add pasta to the saute pan with black pepper and freshly chopped basil leaves. Toss to coat. Serve immediately, garnishing with more pepper and basil.