Sungold Tomato Pasta

1: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat.

2: Add shallots and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

3: Add garlic and cook for an additional five minutes until softened.

4: If shallots are browning too much reduce heat further.

5: Add tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes and 3-5 basil stems.

6: Cover and allow tomatoes to cook down until they burst open, about 15 minutes.

7: Remove from heat, discard basil and allow sauce to cool slightly before transferring to a blender.

8: Blend until smooth then return to your pan off of the heat.

9: Cook pasta with 2 tbsp salt one minute shy of al dente according to packaging instructions.

10: Heat sauce over medium low heat and stir in about 10 basil leaves.

11: Add cooked pasta to your sauce along with a splash of pasta water.

12: Continue cooking until sauce thickens and clings to your noodles, about 2 minutes.

13: Remove from heat and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil and red pepper flakes.