4pintssmall cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
2-3teaspoonschopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
½teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes
¾pounddried capellini or angel hair pasta, fresh or dried
1/2cupfresh basil leaves, chopped
1cupfreshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add two tablespoons of salt to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the ½ cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, thyme, two teaspoons salt, ground pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for five minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften.
While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for two minutes (if using fresh), or according to the directions on the package. Be careful about overcooking the pasta. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the pot of water and add to the cooked tomato mixture in the saucepan. Don't worry about water on the pasta, the dish needs a little of the pasta water to have the right consistency.
Pour the pasta and tomatoes into a large serving bowl.
Add the Parmesan and fresh basil, and toss well.
Serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan cheese.