Salted butter, cheese, and pasta cooking water simmer with cherry tomatoes to make the most delicious sauce.
1 pound uncooked spaghetti
6 tablespoons salted butter
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 pounds mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes (about 6 cups)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
Kosher salt, to taste
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Crushed red pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high; add spaghetti, and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water; set aside.
While spaghetti cooks, melt butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a small bowl. Add tomatoes to skillet; reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened and beginning to burst, about 20 minutes. (Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet if mixture begins to look dry.) Stir reserved browned garlic slices into tomatoes; season with salt to taste. Remove from heat.
Transfer cooked spaghetti to skillet; toss to coat with sauce, adding reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to create a silky sauce. Sprinkle with basil, and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper.
