Ricotta tossed warm into pasta with garlic and herbs makes a simple, silky sauce that needs nothing but time to let the tub empty. This shelf is bare, so we build from staples tonight.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 680 calories a serving, 24 g protein, 95 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add 8 oz pasta, stirring to separate. While it cooks, mince 3 garlic cloves and warm 3 tablespoons oil with the garlic in a small pan over medium heat until fragrant but not browning, about 2 minutes.
2. When the pasta is tender, reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Spoon the 1 cup ricotta into the pasta and add the warm garlic oil.
3. Toss the pasta over low heat, adding reserved water a splash at a time until the ricotta loosens into a sauce, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, salt, and pepper to taste.3 min
4. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap a handful of parmesan or a squeeze of lemon for the thyme if you have either. Leftovers keep two days refrigerated and warm gently with a splash of milk. Serve with a salad or roasted vegetables on the side.

A few spoonfuls of ricotta become a silky, mild sauce when loosened with pasta water and tossed with buttery garlic. This is what you cook when you want something warm and quick to use up what's left in the container.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 470 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 67 g carbohydrate, 17 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 add 6 ounces of pasta. Cook until just tender, then reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 3 cloves of garlic and melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large shallow pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
3. Off heat, stir 1/4 cup ricotta into the warm pan until smooth, then add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water and stir until the ricotta loosens into a sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss, adding more pasta water as needed to make a silky coat.
4. Season generously with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust. Divide between two bowls and serve right away.

Note Swap the ricotta for a soft goat cheese or mascarpone if you have it. Leftovers keep refrigerated for a day; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated Parmesan at the table and a small green salad on the side.

Stack of tender ricotta pancakes, halfway to a soufflé, golden and draped in brown butter. Since you have exactly what a stack needs, tonight you use every bit for two people. Finish with a crack of pepper and salt.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 270 calories a serving, 7 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat. From USDA figures for 67% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Separate 2 eggs and put the yolks into a bowl with the ricotta, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir until you have a loose batter with flecks of ricotta still visible.
2. Whip the 2 egg whites in another bowl until they hold soft peaks. Fold them into the ricotta batter in two additions, turning from the bottom each time, until no white streaks remain.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Drop 3 spoonfuls of batter onto the pan and cook undisturbed until the bottoms are golden and set on the edges, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until firm, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter and 2 more tablespoons butter in two batches.5 min
4. Stack the pancakes on two plates. Drizzle any brown butter left in the pan over the top and finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Note Ricotta pancakes hold well covered in the fridge for a day and reheat gently in a low oven. Serve alone or with a green salad on the side; a squeeze of lemon works too.