Boil the pasta (10 minutes) Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add 8 oz of pasta of your choice. Save ½ cup (120ml) of pasta water before draining!
Prep the tomatoes and garlic (while pasta cooks) Halve the cherry tomatoes and mince the garlic.
Sauté the garlic (2 minutes) Heat 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly until fragrant but not browned—about 1 minute. If it starts to brown, lower the heat.
Add tomatoes and season (5 minutes) Toss in the halved tomatoes, ½ tsp pepper flakes (if using), and a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Stir and cook until tomatoes soften and start to burst, releasing their juices. This is when your kitchen starts to smell amazing.
Toss everything together (2 minutes) Add the drained pasta directly to the pan with tomatoes and garlic. Pour in ¼ cup of reserved pasta water and toss everything together with tongs. Add more water if it looks dry. You want a glossy, silky sauce clinging to every noodle.
