Blue cheese melts into a quick cream sauce while pasta cooks. The funk and salt make something elegant from just half a wedge and pantry staples. Supper for two in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 1140 calories a serving, 34 g protein, 96 g carbohydrate, 71 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 ounces of pasta until al dente, about 9 minutes; reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 cloves of garlic and toast 1/2 cup of walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant; turn onto a plate.3 min
3. In the same skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and add the minced garlic; cook for 1 minute until the garlic softens and smells sweet.1 min
4. Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and crumble in 4 ounces of blue cheese, stirring gently until the cheese melts into a smooth sauce, about 2 minutes.2 min
5. Add the drained pasta to the cream sauce and toss to coat, adding splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches a light consistency that coats each strand. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Divide between two plates and scatter the toasted walnuts over each portion.

Note Swap the walnuts for pine nuts or hazelnuts if you have them. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and reheat gently with a splash of water in a warm pan. Serve with a green salad and a bitter wine that cuts the richness of the cheese.

This is a quick weeknight pasta where a few crumbles of blue cheese melt into a creamy sauce with the pasta water, stretching those last bits of cheese into something worth cooking for. The walnuts add texture and richness without much fuss.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 600 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 69 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 ounces of pasta until just tender, about 9 minutes. While it cooks, toast 1/3 cup chopped walnuts in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, then set aside.9 min
2. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the skillet to medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter, then add the hot pasta and 3/4 cup pasta water.
3. Scatter 3 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles over the pasta and stir constantly until the cheese melts into the water and forms a light sauce, about 2 minutes. Add more pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce seems too thick. Season with salt and pepper.2 min
4. Divide the pasta between two bowls, top with the toasted walnuts, and serve at once.

Note Swap the walnuts for pine nuts or toasted breadcrumbs if you have them. Leftovers keep for a day in the fridge but are best eaten fresh. Serve with a simple green salad or bitter greens dressed with lemon to cut the richness.

A salad built on blue cheese half, the point being to use it up tonight, with toasted walnuts and bread crisps for texture and something warm alongside. Serve it as a main course with the cooking warmth gone by the time you eat.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 740 calories a serving, 18 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 61 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Cut 4 ounces crusty bread into half-inch cubes and toss with 1 tablespoon butter, salt, and pepper. Spread on a sheet and set in a 400°F (200°C) oven to crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.10 min
2. While bread toasts, crumble 4 ounces blue cheese into a bowl. Whisk in 4 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon water to make a dressing, taste, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Toss 4 ounces salad greens with dressing in a wide shallow bowl. When croutons are golden, scatter them over the top and serve at once.

Note Swap walnuts for bread if you have them; toast first. Leftover dressing keeps three days covered. Serve with soup or a simple pasta to stretch the meal.