This dish is excellent served as a main course or as a dressing for pasta. (Toss the pasta with the sauce and top the plates with shrimp.) It is also delicious spooned over hot soft Polenta.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 1 minute. Add as many shrimp as fit in a single layer with some space between each. (If you crowd the shrimp, they will steam in their own juices rather than get crunchy with a lightly browned exterior.) Cook, tuning once, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving as much garlic as possible in the pan. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the tomatoes into the skillet, season with salt and crushed red pepper, and bring to a vigorous boil. Lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer and cook until it is lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, basil, and parsley and cook until the shrimp are heated through, just a few seconds.