2 variations on a very simple theme...

If you can get your kid to eat spaghetti with tomato sauce, then you can start to play around with more sophisticated versions. Do it gradually, but you can gently introduce herbs, finely chopped vegetables like onions, garlic, fennel, zucchini. Eventually you can begin to use fresh tomatoes, which you can pulverize to the degree your kid will tolerate. My daughter Sophie still squashes the fresh tomatoes with a wooden spoon when I'm making sauce with them, but she eats them and that's what counts. Try these 2 versions of extremely simple delicious pasta with fresh tomatoes, one with meat and one vegetarian.

Pasta with fresh tomatoes, herbs and pancetta

4 servings as a main course

1 lb. short pasta

1/4 c. plus 1 T.olive oil

1/2 lb. pancetta, sliced 1/4" thick

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1 t. dried oregano

3 large tomatoes diced, or 1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cut the pancetta into wide matchsticks. Set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Heat a medium sized skillet to medium heat. Add the 1 T. oil and the pancetta. Cook until the pancetta just begins to brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside in one of your pasta bowls.

Add remaining oil to the same skillet and heat to high. Add the garlic, red pepper and oregano. Let cook until garlic just turns golden and herbs are fragrant, about 1 minute, swirling pan if herbs cook too quickly.

As soon as herbs are ready, dump in the chopped tomatoes. Let them sizzle loudly and sear a little bit. Meanwhile, begin making the pasta and cook till very al dente. Once the tomatoes begin to give up their liquid, you can reduce the heat on the skillet and let it simmer until pasta is ready.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 c. cooking liquid. Add pasta, pancetta and pasta liquid to the pan wih the tomatoes, adding enough liquid to make a silky sauce that coats all of the pasta. Serve with lots of parmesan cheese.

Vegetarian variation:

Cook herbs as above in 1/2 c. olive oil. After adding tomatoes and they've seared and come to a boil, add juice of 1/2 lemon. Let sauce simmer while pasta is cooking. When pasta is just about done, add 1/2 c. chopped sundried tomatoes to the sauce. Combine pasta with sauce and add pasta cooking liquid as above, to desired consistency. Serve with lots of parmesan.