Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook noodles just shy of al dente, a minute or two less than package instructions; they will cook more in the pan. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water from the pot and drain the noodles when done.While the noodles are cooking, begin making the sauce. In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir around for a bit to cook, then add tomatoes. Cook together until tomatoes soften, about 4–5 minutes, pressing on a few of the tomatoes to release their juices and thicken the sauce. Careful not to cook over heat too high or the garlic can burn and add a bitter taste to the dish. Remove pan from heat until ready to add the cooked noodles.Place the pan of cooked tomatoes back over medium-high heat and add the hot noodles to the pan, along with the chopped basil. Toss to coat, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to bring the sauce together. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Top with freshly grated parmesan, if desired. Serves 3–4