All you have to do is toss all the ingredients into a pan. You don't even boil the water first!
I threw in the linguine, cherry tomatoes, onion, and garlic into the pan with four-and-a-half cups of water.
Then I added two basil leaves, two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, two teaspoons of salt, and a few twists from my pepper grinder.
I stood back to admire the pan for just a second before I turned on the stove. The colors all looked so fresh and beautiful together, I already had such high hopes.