Boil the linguine according to the packet instructions (about 8 minutes). Save 100ml (a small cupfull) of pasta water. Drain and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil into the pan. Give a good mix. This stops the pasta sticking together.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add the crushed garlic. Fry for a minute. A squeeze of juice from 1/2 a lemon. Re-add the pasta back into the frying-pan and stir into the juice/garlic.
Sprinkle on the chopped basil and add the pieces of sardine. Mix and fry together for a minute. Add the chilli flakes (optional). Serve!
Notes
Leftovers?I would not recommend having any leftovers of this recipe. It only serves 2-3, so I'm sure you can manage to eat it all!It's the sort of recipe that is best made fresh. Long pasta doesn't do well re-heated. It becomes sticky and rubbery. I would not even recommend freezing this recipe. Both freezing and re-heating are of course possible, but I wouldn't do it personally.