Smash and peel about three cloves of garlic.

Roughly chop them and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of coarse salt.

Add the penne pasta and cook until al dente (approximately 8 minutes).

Once cooked, drain the pasta, reserving a small amount of the pasta water.

Toss the drained pasta with a drizzle of olive oil and let it rest.

Halve or quarter a handful of cherry tomatoes.

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add the chopped garlic and sauté until it turns golden.

Add the chopped cherry tomatoes and then pour in a base of tomato sauce (passata).

Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes.

Use a whisk or spoon to gently mash the tomatoes while stirring; this ensures the sauce remains chunky and textured rather than perfectly smooth.

Add coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper to the sauce.

Adjust the heat to medium-low.

Finely chop a bunch of fresh parsley.

Tear a few fresh basil leaves.

Add the cooked penne to the sauté pan with the sauce.

Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to help the sauce bind to the pasta.

Sprinkle in red chili flakes (peperoncino) to your preferred heat level.

Add the fresh parsley and torn basil leaves.

Toss all the ingredients together over the heat for a minute or two until the pasta is thoroughly coated and the flavors have melded.

Transfer the pasta to a serving plate.

Garnish with a bit more fresh parsley and a sprig of basil.

Generously grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top before serving.