Ingredients:
Salt and ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
3 cups of mixed cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried chile flakes
1 handful of basil
1 T unsalted butter
8 oz. pasta of your choice (we like spaghetti or penne)
1/4 cup homemade breadcrumbs (optional)
Parmesan-like cheese for grating

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it until it tastes like the ocean.

2. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat – add your smashed garlic and cook slowly until it starts to soften and turn brown. Don’t burn it!

3. Add half of your tomatoes, and cover with a lid to contain the splatter. Cook until they begin to burst open, usually 5 minutes or so.

4. Take off the heat and smush them with the back of a large spoon. Add the chile flakes and season with salt and pepper. Return to the stove, add half the basil, and reduce the heat. Cook for another 5 minute or so to reduce and thicken the sauce.

5. Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook until shy of al dente. You’re going to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, so don’t over do it! Before draining set aside a cup or two of pasta water, then drain the pasta well.

6. Increase the heat to medium high, add the pasta to the sauce along with a good splash of pasta water. Add the rest of the tomatoes and stir while the pasta absorbs the sauce and the tomatoes warm up.

7. Once the pasta is cooked to the right consistency, add in the rest of your basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and the butter. Take the pasta off the heat and keep tossing to incorporate the ingredients. Top with a handful of homemade breadcrumbs and shower it in a grated Parmesan-like cheese such as Cabin Fever from Hahn’s End!