This is one of those pastas where you just need a pack of cherry tomatoes and some garlic. You cook the tomatoes until they fall apart, add butter and a bit of pasta water, and that’s the sauce. It takes less than 30 minutes. Just don’t overcook the angel hair. It cooks so fast and gets mushy if you leave it in even a little too long. Take it out a minute early, because it’ll keep cooking in the pan.
Boil pasta: Boil pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve pasta water, drain and set aside.
Build base: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and gently fry until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and cook until slightly jammy and broken down.
Finish: Add pasta and 1 cup pasta water to the pan. Add butter a few cubes at a time, tossing constantly, until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the noodles. If the sauce looks greasy or too thick, add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Add basil and toss until just combined. Serve with fresh basil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
