Bucatini with cherry tomatoes, stracciatella and basil

(serves 4)

• 11 + 1/4 oz bucatini (320 g)

• 1 + 3/4 lbs fresh cherry or date tomatoes (800 g)

• 8 + 3/4 oz stracciatella cheese (250 g)

• Fresh basil, to taste

• 2 garlic cloves

• Olive oil, as needed

• Salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

• Water, as needed

• Prepare the tomato base:
  In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil and add the crushed garlic cloves. Sauté over medium heat until golden, then remove the garlic.

• Cook the tomatoes:
  Add the cherry tomatoes with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a few basil leaves. Stir well and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, adding a bit of water if needed, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.

• Blend and strain the sauce:
  Transfer the cooked tomatoes and their juices to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds and skins, then pour the filtered sauce back into the pan.

• Cook the pasta:
  Boil the bucatini in salted water until al dente.

• Make the stracciatella cream:
  Blend half of the stracciatella with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

• Combine pasta and sauce:
  Add the drained bucatini to the pan with the tomato sauce. Stir well to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add some pasta water to loosen it.

• Plate and garnish:
  On each serving plate, spread a spoonful of the stracciatella cream. Place the bucatini on top, then garnish with the remaining stracciatella, fresh basil leaves, a crack of black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.