Step 1

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

Step 2

In the meantime, heat a skillet or pot with olive oil. Add in salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to bloom your spices, stir for 1 minute. Then add in your tomatoes and sliced fresh garlic. Stir and burst. Season as needed and add a pinch of sugar here (optional).

Step 3

Cook well until the tomatoes burst and release their juices to create your sauce. (You can use the back of the spoon to burst them as well. I like to keep some not bursted as well) About 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.

Step 4

Add in chopped basil. Stir until incorporated with the sauce. Next, add in a dash of pasta water from your cooking pasta and stir for 1-2 minutes until cooked down and the sauce becomes creamy and saucy.

Step 5

Toss in or drain your al dente pasta with a slotted spoon and finish off with your grated parmesan, a knob of butter and pasta water as needed, salt and pepper and stir until your pasta is cooked throughout the way you prefer. Adjust with the rest of your parmesan and pasta water.

Step 6

Serve and top with parmesan and basil leaves!