Pasta with Tomato, Chard and Sunflower Seed Sauce (June)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 teaspoon canola oil

8 ounces onion -- chopped

2 cloves garlic -- minced

2 pounds fresh tomatoes -- peeled and seeded

1 can tomato paste -- (6 ounce)

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon salt -- optional

freshly ground pepper 8 ounces fresh chard

1 pound linguine

Substitutions: 1 can (28 ounce) crushed or whole, peeled tomatoes with juice. Use any long, thin pasta.

Prepare the chard: wash, remove ribs, and cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons.

In a large saucepan or sautepan, toast seeds until very lightly browned. In food processor or nut grinder, grind half of the seeds until very fine.= Reserve remaining half for garnish. Heat oil in the pan. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and cook briefly. Add tomatoes,= tomato paste, ground sunflower seeds, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer about 15 minutes until somewhat thickened. Steam chard until tender, about 5=

minutes. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain; remove to serving platter. Toss with sauce. Top with remaining sunflower seeds. Serves 6

Copyright=A9 1996, Jane A. Rubey, M.P.H., R.D. World Rights Reserved