Pour 2 tablespoon of olive oil into a heavy metal skillet or cast iron pan. Add the tomatoes and garlic to the pan and scatter the thinly sliced onion, salt, pepper and thyme over them. Cover the skillet and let it all cook gently over medium heat. Do not peel the garlic, if you do so it will burn and turn bitter. This whole process should take around 15-20 minutes.

Take a big pot and cook the pasta following the instructions on the package. Right before draining, scoop a cup of the cooking water out and set it aside. Drain the pasta and set aside.

By the time the pasta is cooked and drained the tomatoes and garlic should have softened up and you can gently squeeze the garlic in the pan and remove the peel.

Add the cooked paste to the skilled and mix well. If the pasta is too dry then add some of the cooking water to cover the pasta evenly with the sauce.