Tomato & Tuna Pasta Sauce: A Recipe for Little Ones from Annabel Karmel

I have been trying to work new recipes into our weekly routine and this one became an immediate favorite: it's from Annabel Karmel's First Meals.

Annabel Karmel's Tomato & Tuna Pasta Sauce

Preparation: 5 minutes; cooking 20 minutes

Makes 4 portions

Suitable for freezing

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 2/3 cups canned chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp superfine sugar

1/4 tsp dried mixed herbs

3 1/2 oz canned tuna in oil

2 tbsp soft cream cheese

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except the tuna and cream cheese, and cook uncovered over medium heat for about 12 minutes.
• Drain and flake the tuna, add to the sauce, and heat through.
• Stir in the cream cheese until melted into sauce.

I made it for Sadie with bow tie pasta and it was a huge hit! Sadie ate a huge amount and dinner and then started giggling and pointing when she saw me get it out at lunch the next day. And the recipe made enough that I have a little tupperware container of the sauce frozen for next week. Even Paul, who hates tuna, tried it on a cracker and said that it was good. In fact it was pretty popular with all of the grownups in our house! If you have a toddler, you might want to give this one a try (it's in the 9-12 month section of the book, but for someone that tiny I think you'd have to figure out something other than bow ties!).