Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

Time for another quick, flavourful, nutrient-dense, recipe easily modifiable for weight gain or weight loss:

pasta
1-2 cloves of garlic
handful of grape tomatoes
small bunch of fresh basil (or pinches of dry)
olive oil
parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of water to boil, then add the pasta when it is ready and cook following package directions.

Meanwhile, place a few drops of oil in a frying pan and spread it around with a spatula.  There should be barely enough to just moisten the base of the pan.  Turn up the heat to medium-high.  Place the whole garlic cloves, still in their skins, into the frying pan.

As the oil warms, place the whole tomatoes into the frying pan with the garlic.  When the skins begin to change colour, toss the contents of the pan, being careful to not break the skins.  Turn off the pan.

Drizzle some olive oil into the serving dish. Chop the basil and stir it into the serving dish along with some parmesan cheese and some salt.

Squeeze the garlic out of its skin then chop it.  Mix the garlic into the oil-basil-cheese mixture.  Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters.

Drain the pasta and add it along with the tomatoes to the serving dish.  Stir to coat.  Add more oil, cheese, and basil to taste.