Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni pasta according to the package instructions time. Keep aside a cup of pasta water before draining it.

In the meantime that the pasta is cooking, wash your cherry tomatoes, cut them into pieces and mince finely your garlic.

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mince garlic and let it sauté for a minute, making sure it doesn’t go brown.

Add the chopped cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Let the tomatoes cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they break down and form a sauce.

In a blender, add the sauce, some fresh basil leaves and 1/4 of the reserved pasta water, give it a blend for 10 seconds to break the tomatoes even more (optional).

Toss the pasta in the sauce and coat it. If it’s too dry, add another 1/4 of pasta water to it.

Plate the rigatoni pomodoro in a serving bowl or plate. Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese, enjoy!