This is a stripped-down baked pasta that lets mild mozzarella shine without fuss. Half a ball of cheese melts into the sauce and tops the dish. It's the kind of one-pan dinner that feels like more than it is.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 780 calories a serving, 41 g protein, 101 g carbohydrate, 26 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat your oven to 400°F [200°C]. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook 6 ounces of pasta until just shy of tender, about 2 minutes under the package time. Drain and set aside.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mince 2 garlic cloves and stir them into the oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in one 14-ounce can of tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, and simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Tear half a ball of mozzarella into bite-sized pieces. Toss the drained pasta into the tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper, then scatter the mozzarella pieces over the top.
4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the edges of the pasta begin to brown, about 10 minutes.10 min

Note Swap the mozzarella for feta or any mild cheese. Covered, this keeps three days and reheats gently in a low oven. Serve with a green salad or side of bread to push it further.

Fresh mozzarella melts into a simple pasta sauce, turning into strings with each twirl of the fork. You have a quarter log that needs using, so here it is, stretched thin across hot noodles with garlic and oil to carry it through. Ready in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 440 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 87 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add 8 ounces of pasta, stirring once. Cook until the pasta is a minute short of tender, about nine minutes for most shapes, then drain and set aside, reserving one cup of the cooking water.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 3 cloves of garlic and tear the quarter log of mozzarella into bite-sized pieces. Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pasta pot over medium heat and add the garlic, stirring until it turns light gold and smells sweet, about two minutes.
3. Add the drained pasta to the garlic oil and toss to coat. Pour in one-half cup of the reserved cooking water and stir gently until the pasta absorbs the liquid and begins to loosen, about two minutes.2 min
4. Remove the pot from the heat and scatter the mozzarella pieces over the hot pasta. Stir once or twice so the cheese softens and threads through the noodles rather than fully melting, then add salt and pepper to your taste. If the sauce seems tight, add a splash more cooking water and stir again.

Note Swap the mozzarella for burrata if you have it. Eat it tonight; leftovers are dull as the cheese sets. Finish with a small handful of arugula or a green salad on the side.

Three slices of mozzarella stretched into a warm, creamy pasta that tastes like you spent more time on it than you did. The cheese melts into the heat of the noodles and a quick tomato sauce, turning simple into satisfying on a weeknight.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 800 calories a serving, 29 g protein, 104 g carbohydrate, 32 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 add 6 ounces of pasta. While it cooks, dice 1 small onion and mince 2 cloves of garlic.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring now and then, until it softens, about four minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for thirty seconds more.4 min
3. Pour one 14-ounce can of canned tomatoes into the skillet and stir. Simmer gently until the pasta is tender, about eight minutes, tasting and adjusting the salt and pepper as you go.8 min
4. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the tomato sauce along with 1 tablespoon of butter and the three slices of mozzarella, torn into pieces. Toss gently off heat until the cheese softens and coats the noodles, about one minute.
5. Divide between two bowls and serve warm.

Note Swap the canned tomatoes for three fresh tomatoes, diced, if you have them. Leftovers keep for two days in the fridge and taste best reheated gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad or bread to soak up the sauce.