creamy tomato basil pasta

sometimes, all i want for dinner is a bowl of pasta, dressed ever so simply with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil. it's one of my all time favorite dinners, both because it's packed with flavor and takes a mere 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish. and with summer approaching and the promise of fresh, homegrown tomatoes and basil, i can't wait to dig into this all summer long.

creamy tomato basil pasta
20 minutes, serves 4

1 pound pasta
2 tablespoons butter
~1 1/2 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons minced basil
4 garlic cloves, minced
~ 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1. cook pasta according to the directions. reserve about 1 cup pasta cooking water.
2. melt the butter in a saute pan over medium low heat. add the tomatoes and cook until they start to give off their juices.
3. add the garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes. add about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to thin the sauce.
4. add the basil and heavy cream and simmer until the pasta is ready.
5. toss sauce with the pasta. add more pasta water to thin out the sauce, if desired.