Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

• 12 oz. uncooked pasta
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic (smashed)
• 1.5 lbs cherry tomatoes
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 oz. fresh grated Parmesan (about ⅓ cup, plus more for serving)
• freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and drizzle with a little olive oil. Set aside until sauce is ready.
2. Heat a medium sauce pan over low heat. Add olive oil and smashed garlic cloves. Cook until garlic is fragrant, do not let garlic brown.
3. When garlic is fragrant and starting to soften, add the tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flakes. Increase the heat to medium and stir to combine.
4. Continue to cook, stirring frequently. Tomatoes will start to burst. As you stir, use the back of a wooden spoon to crush some of the tomatoes. After about 10 minutes, sauce should have started to thicken. Continue to crush tomatoes with a spoon or use a potato masher.
5. Pour sauce over pasta, add parmesan cheese. Stir to coat in sauce, cheese should melt into the sauce. Stir in basil leaves. Divide among individual bowls and garnish with more parmesan cheese and black pepper if desired.