Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Sausage

I love basil, and I revel in its abundance in the garden all summer long. And what more natural companion for basil than tomatoes, of course? This is one of my most reliable ways to use a whole load of them at once when the garden is overflowing like it is right now. I like to use a variety of colors, for the visual appeal. The sausage I used is from Not Your Ordinary Farm in Guilford, VT (available for sale at the Greenfield Farmers Co-op).

1 lb cut pasta, such as shells or fusilli
1 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
Cloves from one head of garlic, minced
About 8 cups seeded and chopped tomatoes (no need to peel)
2-3 cups loosely packed chopped basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan for topping (optional)

Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water. While it cooks, prepare the sauce.

Brown the sausage, breaking it up as you go, in a Dutch oven or other large pot. Pour off most of the fat, then add the garlic and saute for about two minutes. Add the tomatoes and lower the heat to medium.

You can cook the tomatoes anywhere from hardly at all to well cooked. The less you cook them, the more the end result will be like vegetables tossed with pasta. The more you cook them, the more it will be sauce--but a fairly juicy one, not thick and uniform.

When the tomatoes are cooked to your desired degree, add the basil, salt, and pepper and remove from heat. Toss with the cooked pasta. Serve topped with grated Parmesan if desired.

Serves 4-6.