So, I started with this (because it was just for me--if you're cooking for a crowd, double/triple/octuple appropriately):
A handful of chopped fresh tomatoes (mini-heirlooms from Trader Joe's in this case--if you've got fresh, use them!!), a handful of chopped basil from the garden, and a thinly sliced clove of garlic from the CSA.
If I'd chopped the garlic smaller, I honestly could have had this sauce raw, but I like to cook just a little bit to mellow out the garlic, and my grandma has a habit of refrigerating tomatoes, which meant that cooking them could give them more flavor. Still, a light touch is important.
Put water up to boil and cook your pasta--I chose about 1/4 lb of straight up spaghetti (which made dinner and lunch-- 2 bowls like the size of the one pictured below), but feel free to use whatever shape you like, and adjust amounts accordingly.
While your pasta's cooking (and do wait until the water's boiled and the pasta's in it, because you really don't need much time for this), throw a glug of olive oil into a small frying pan over medium-low heat. For me, a glug is about a TBS. Swish it around a bit and then add your garlic. You want it slowly sizzling so that it will cook but not burn. Toss in a couple strips of basil as well, to season the oil.
When the garlic is getting really nicely aromatic, about 5 minutes into cooking, toss in your basil and tomatoes and cook just for a couple of minutes, stirring so everything blends. Season with salt and pepper, and perhaps a bit more oil if things start to stick. When the tomatoes are slightly softened, pull the sauce from the heat.
Drain the pasta and mix with the sauce. At this point, I threw in a bit of crumbled feta, but that's definitely optional.
Sprinkle with parmesan, drizzle with oil, and smell the summer.
