This sauce is incredibly simple and simply divine. It doesn't quite have the surrounding Ligurian hillside to accompany its eating, but the flavours match up to when I had it there.

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp good quality olive oil
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled 
• 1 tsp of white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
  
• 250g of good cherry tomatoes (halved) with the vine attached
  
• A pinch of salt
  
• 1 tsp of paprika
  

Method:

In a large frying pan with the heat on already, pour in the olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and cook them gently, turning occasionally until they are starting to colour and getting nice and soft. Do not let them go too dark as you don't want a bitter taste in the sauce. Remove the garlic cloves and throw them away, or as I do, mash them up and spread on a piece of crusty bread for a snack.

Now put in the vines from the tomatoes and give them a good stir round, coating them in oil and releasing some of their wonderful aroma into the oil. Throw in the tomatoes, shake the pan around for a bit and season well with the salt, paprika and sugar. Leave the tomatoes to cook for about five minutes, or until collapsing, give them a good stir and add the vinegar. Cook for a further five minutes, adjust the seasoning and add a dash of water if the sauce is too thick. You are aiming for a glossy, thickish sauce, but not a purée consistency. Serve with spaghetti or tagliatelle.