Half a can of canned tomatoes makes a simple, bracing sauce that clings to pasta and asks for nothing but the pantry. A weeknight dinner built in the time it takes water to boil.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 500 calories a serving, 12 g protein, 68 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need half a can [200g] canned tomatoes, 6 oz [170g] pasta, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon oil.

1. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot and add 6 oz pasta; stir and cook until two minutes before the package says it is done, then drain and set aside.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, peel and slice 2 garlic cloves thin. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a wide pan over medium heat until the butter foams, then add the garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Pour in the half can of canned tomatoes with its juice and simmer until the pasta is ready, stirring now and then; the sauce will reduce slightly and deepen.5 min
4. Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat, cooking another minute so the pasta finishes and absorbs the flavour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 min

Note Swap the canned tomatoes for fresh when in season, cooking them down a little longer. Leftovers keep for three days in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated cheese and a green salad.

A quick tomato sauce from a can and pasta, what you cook when the shelf is nearly bare and time is short. The tomatoes simmer while you boil water, and dinner is ready in under thirty minutes.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 560 calories a serving, 16 g protein, 89 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 cup (240 ml) canned tomatoes, 8 oz (225 g) pasta, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.8 min
2. While the water heats, warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Mince 3 cloves of garlic and add to the oil, stirring until fragrant, about one minute. Pour in 1 cup of canned tomatoes with their liquid, crushing them slightly with a spoon.
3. Simmer the tomato sauce for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and the flavors deepen. Season with salt and pepper to taste.11 min
4. When the water boils, add 8 oz of pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 to 11 minutes depending on the shape. Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining.10 min
5. Toss the hot pasta with the tomato sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap in any pasta shape you have. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for three days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated cheese if you have it, or a hunk of bread to soak up the sauce.

Half a can of tomatoes transforms into a bright, loose sauce in minutes, perfect for soaking into torn bread. This is cooking from scraps, turning what remains into something warm and satisfying on a weeknight when time is short.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 190 calories a serving, 1 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1/2 can canned tomatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cloves garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 1 tablespoon butter, one small loaf or half a larger one bread.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small pan over medium heat. Slice 2 cloves garlic thin and scatter them into the oil, stirring until fragrant, about one minute.
2. Pour in half a can of canned tomatoes with their juice and crush them gently with a wooden spoon. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce loosens and darkens slightly, about 8 minutes.8 min
3. While the sauce cooks, tear half a loaf of bread into rough 2-inch pieces and arrange them in a shallow bowl for each person.
4. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter until it melts and silks the sauce, about 30 seconds.
5. Pour the hot sauce over the torn bread and let it rest for a minute to soften and absorb before serving.1 min

Note This keeps a day in the fridge if you store the bread and sauce apart. Serve with a bitter green salad to cut the richness, or crack an egg into the sauce at the end to poach gently while the bread soaks.