Preheat your oven to 375°F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until just under al dente—it'll finish cooking in the oven, so don't let it soften completely or your beautiful summer pasta tomato bake will turn mushy.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for three minutes until it becomes translucent, releasing that sweet caramelized flavor that builds the sauce foundation. This step matters because raw onion would taste sharp and unintegrated in the final dish.

Stir in minced garlic and cook for exactly sixty seconds—I learned this the hard way when I let garlic burn once and ruined the whole batch. Add canned tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, black pepper, and salt. Simmer this mixture for five minutes so the dried herbs fully bloom into the tomato base.

Pour the cooked, drained pasta into a nine-by-thirteen-inch baking dish. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and stir until evenly coated. Drizzle the heavy cream over everything and fold it gently into the pasta mixture—don't overmix or you'll break down the pasta shape.

Combine shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan in a small bowl. Scatter this cheese mixture evenly over the top of your beautiful summer pasta tomato bake. The combination creates a golden layer that pulls together during baking because the mozzarella melts while parmesan adds structure.

Bake for thirty-five minutes at 375°F until the cheese is bubbly around the edges and golden across the top. Let it rest for five minutes before serving so the cream can set slightly and the pasta can absorb the remaining sauce without it running all over the plate.

Top with fresh chopped basil right before serving. This final touch brightens the rich flavors and gives Marco a visual moment where he knows this is something special, not just regular pasta night.