Tomatoes are in peak season right now and if you are anything like me, you are using them in every summer dish you make. Somehow this past week I happily discovered some surprise cherry tomato plants in my front yard! Gardening is always an adventure as my aunt says, and when I was freshening up my flower beds in April, there must have been some leftover tomato seeds in there! This stovetop tomato sauce is super simple. I enjoy a chunkier more rustic tomato sauce so I left the tomatoes in chunks, but feel free to blend up this sauce for a more traditional route. Like it on the spicier side? Add in a dash of red pepper flakes! 

Serves 4

¼ cup olive oil

1 shallot thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic thinly sliced 

2 lbs cherry tomatoes

Salt/ pepper to taste

About 5-10 sprigs fresh thyme OR 1 cup fresh chopped basil  leaves depending on what you have on hand 

2 tbsp butter 

1 lb  dry pasta (spaghetti works well)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Place a large pot of water over high heat, then once it is boiling turn it to medium. This will make sure your pasta boils evenly.

Boil your pasta to 1 minute under the package directions for al dente. You do not want to overcook this! After it has finished cooking, drain and toss with a splash of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together. 

To a different pan, heat  your oil over medium low and add in shallots and garlic and cook about 3 minutes, making sure they don’t brown.

Add in the tomatoes & thyme sprigs (or fresh basil if you’re using) and season with salt and pepper. Cook them until they begin to burst, about 5-10 minutes. (You can help them along by pressing on them with the back of a spoon).

Remove the thyme then add the pasta to the pot with the sauce. Heat over low, toss the pasta with the tomatoes and add a few knobs of  butter while adding a few splashes of pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of EVOO.