Wash the cherry tomatoes and slice half of them, leaving the rest whole. Thinly slice the garlic cloves.
Heat regular olive oil in a wide pan over low heat and add the garlic. Cook gently until pale golden, not browned.
Add the tomatoes and raise heat slightly. Cook until softened and some tomatoes burst, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine one minute less than package instructions.
Transfer pasta directly to the tomato pan and add a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss gently to combine.
Add more pasta water gradually until the sauce looks glossy and coats the pasta evenly.
Turn off heat, add fresh basil, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil before serving.
