Parmesan crisps are just melted cheese, and they're a crunchy counterpoint to soft pasta tonight. This shelf holds one ingredient that becomes both the main and its garnish with nothing more than heat and timing.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 650 calories a serving, 26 g protein, 72 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C]. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop small mounds of 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese, spacing them 2 inches apart; you'll make four to six crisps. Bake until golden and bubbly, 5 to 7 minutes, and set aside to cool and crisp.7 min
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 ounces of pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes, while you finish the sauce. Drain and set aside.10 min
3. In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and cook 2 minced garlic cloves until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss in the cooked pasta with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of the shredded parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste, warming through.
4. Divide the pasta between two bowls and top each with two or three parmesan crisps, breaking them into shards if you like.

Note Swap in any pasta shape you have. The crisps hold in an airtight container for two days. Serve with a green salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil to cut the richness, or add sautéed mushrooms to the pasta for bulk.