The sauce should be made in advance, but if you're going to hold it for more than a couple of hours, add the basil only an hour before serving. The raw salsa clings best to curly fusilli or small pasta shells. Look for the very best, ripest, fullest-flavored tomatoes in local farmers' markets. There's just no point in making this dish unless tomatoes are at their peak. But when they're at their peak, if you're like me, you'll want to make it two or three times a week.
Some cooks sharpen the pasta sauce with a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, added with the oil.
Tear the basil leaves into shreds and add to the bowl. Add the salt, pepper, and oil and toss to mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator until ready to use. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. While the pasta cooks, rinse a pasta serving bowl in hot water to warm it.