Tomato Basil Pasta

Ingredients

• 200 g pasta - spaghetti, penne, or fusilli
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic - thinly sliced or minced
• 400 g canned crushed tomatoes - or passata
• 0.5 tsp salt - plus more for pasta water
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 0.25 tsp red chili flakes - optional
• 1 tsp sugar - optional, to balance acidity
• 1 handful fresh basil - torn
• 30 g Parmesan - optional, for serving

Steps

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Warm olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic (and chili flakes if using) and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant (do not brown).
3. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar (optional). Simmer 10–12 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Add drained pasta to the sauce. Toss well, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and make it glossy.
5. Turn off heat. Stir in torn basil. Serve with Parmesan if desired.