In a medium-sized sauce pot over medium heat, add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots, gently season with salt, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, just until light brown. Turn the heat to low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes to further caramelize, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the 4 finely minced garlic cloves and cook just until fragrant, which takes 30 to 45 seconds. Add in the tomatoes and basil, and cook over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Finish with balsamic vinegar, salt, ground white pepper, and 4 cups of hot water. Keep hot over low heat.

In a large 12” carbon steel or cast-iron skillet over medium heat with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, add in the 3 garlic cloves, and cook for just 2 to 3 minutes to lightly brown the garlic and perfume the oil.

Remove the garlic and set it aside. Place the spaghetti in the pan and move it around until it is flat. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Toast for 45 seconds, or just until lightly browned. Then, do your best to flip it over to toast on the other side for 45 seconds.

Add in the Fresno peppers and sauté for 30 to 45 seconds. Place the cooked whole garlic cloves back in. Make sure the spaghetti is as flat as possible and covers as much surface area of the pan as possible. Then add 3 to 4 ladles of the tomato-water sauce and cook, untouched, for 3 to 4 minutes, concentrating the sauce to caramelize the pasta.

Using a spatula and tongs, flip the pasta over, add 3 to 4 more ladles of the sauce, and repeat the process to concentrate and caramelize.

At this point, the pasta should be easier to move, so flip it and repeat the process. The goal is for the pasta to be dark brown, almost burnt in some areas, while concentrating the sauce as it cooks down. It is a similar technique to making risotto with less stirring. The entire process should take 16 to 20 minutes for the pasta to be al dente. You’ll continue on in this process until all but about a half cup of the sauce is left.

Toss the pasta in the remaining half cup of sauce and adjust any seasonings with salt and pepper.

Serve with a garnish of drizzled olive oil.