While short cold days are meant for long-simmered rich tomato sauces, summer, for me, is all about the brightness and vibrancy of barely cooked freshly picked garden goodies. This is one of my favorite summer spaghetti dishes. It could not be simpler and comes together in just over the time it takes to boil pasta.

Ingredients

2-4 garlic cloves | smashed

olive oil

3 cups cherry tomatoes | try and get a mix and match of different varieties

1/2 teaspoon of chile flakes | adjust to your preference

1 large handful of basil leaves | chopped or torn into pieces

8 oz spaghetti | freshly made if possible

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

salt

pepper

Bread crumbs | for serving (optional)

Parmesan cheese | for serving (optional)

Instructions

Step 1

Put a large pot of water on the stove. Add salt until the water tastes like the sea, and then bring it to a boil.

Step 2

Heat a large skillet. Add a glug of olive oil to the pan and add the crushed garlic cloves. Cook the garlic slowly until it is very soft, fragrant, and golden brown.

Step 3

Add just over half of your cherry tomatoes to the garlic and oil. There will sizzle and spatter, so proceed with caution. Cook the tomatoes until they burst, somewhere between 5-10 minutes. Encourage any stubborn ones to break by squashing them with the back of a spoon.

Step 4

Add the chile flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook the sauce on low heat for another 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

Step 5

Meanwhile, when your pasta water has hit boiling, so ahead and add your pasta. Cook 1 minute shy of the recommended al dente time.

Step 6

Once the noodles have finished cooking, strain the noodles well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Step 7

Add the pasta to the sauce, along with a good splash of the pasta water. Add the rest of the tomatoes, and the basil. Stir the pasta and cook until the pasta absorbs the sauce and the unbroken tomatoes are warmed thoroughly.

Step 8

Once the noodles are completely cooked, give the pan another glug of olive oil and add the butter. Toss the pasta to coat the noodles completely. Taste again and adjust your seasoning if necessary. Top with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Serve immediately. Enjoy.