Pork sausage crisps in the pan while pasta cooks in the next pot, then the two come together with garlic and a bit of oil. This shelf is light, so we lean on the sausage's fat and flavor to carry dinner.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 520 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 21 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. While it heats, slice the 2 or 3 sausages into rounds about a quarter-inch thick.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the sausage rounds. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until they brown and crisp at the edges. Mince 3 cloves of garlic and set aside.5 min
3. When the water boils, add the 6 ounces of pasta and cook to the package time. Check it a minute early.
4. When the sausage is brown, add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for about 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant. Take the pan off the heat.1 min
5. Drain the pasta and add it to the sausage and garlic. Toss to coat, taste, and add salt and pepper as you like. Divide between two bowls and serve warm.

Note Swap the sausage for bacon if you have it. Leftovers keep for three days in the fridge and reheat in a dry pan. Serve with a raw salad or pickled vegetables on the side to cut the richness.

Half a pack of sausage becomes a quick sauce for pasta, built on caramelized onion and pasta water, done in the time it takes the pasta to cook. This is what you make when you need dinner now and the sausage must go.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 710 calories a serving, 25 g protein, 70 g carbohydrate, 36 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for pasta. While it heats, squeeze the sausage out of its casing into 1-inch pieces into a cold wide skillet.
2. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and break the sausage into smaller bits as it cooks, stirring often, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Pour off most of the fat, leaving 1 tablespoon behind.5 min
3. Slice 1 medium onion thin and add it to the sausage with 2 tablespoons oil. Stir and let the onion cook undisturbed for 2 minutes until it starts to brown at the edges, then stir often until it softens and caramelizes, about 5 minutes more.5 min
4. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and stir constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and let it bubble until it reduces by half, about 3 minutes, while you cook the pasta.3 min
5. Add 6 ounces pasta to the boiling water and cook until one minute before it is tender. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining.10 min
6. Drain the pasta and add it to the sausage sauce. Toss over medium heat, adding a splash more pasta water if the sauce seems dry, until the pasta is coated and tender, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper.1 min

Note Swap the onion for sliced fennel or canned tomato if you have either. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and reheat gently over low heat with a little water. Serve with grated cheese and a sharp green salad if you like.

One last sausage makes a small dinner when cooked with beans and bitter greens. The fat renders as the sausage cooks, seasoning everything in the pan. This shelf uses what you have and comes together in under thirty minutes.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 25 at the stove.

About 370 calories a serving, 18 g protein, 51 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Slice one half pork sausage into rounds about a quarter inch thick. Dice one small onion and mince two garlic cloves. Tear the bitter greens into bite sized pieces.
2. Heat one tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage rounds and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges brown and the fat renders.5 min
3. Add the onion to the sausage and cook for three minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.3 min
4. Pour in one drained 15 oz can of white beans and stir to coat in the fat. Cook for two minutes to warm through, then add the greens a handful at a time, stirring as each batch wilts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for two more minutes.5 min

Note Swap drained canned cannellini or chickpeas for white beans if you prefer. Leftovers keep for three days covered and taste better the next day. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the broth, or over rice to stretch the sausage further.