A weeknight pasta that lets one good cheese do all the work. Gorgonzola melts into the cooking water to make a silky sauce that coats each strand. This shelf piece transforms into dinner in fifteen minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 570 calories a serving, 23 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 24 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 6 oz pasta. Cook until one minute shy of tender, stirring once or twice, then reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.12 min
2. Crumble 4 oz gorgonzola into the hot empty pot off the heat, pour in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, and stir until the cheese melts into a sauce. Add the drained pasta and 1 tablespoon butter, then toss to coat, adding more pasta water if the sauce seems thick.
3. Divide between two bowls, crack black pepper over each, and serve while hot.

Note Swap creamy gorgonzola for any soft blue cheese or dollop of mascarpone mixed with crumbled blue. Leftovers keep refrigerated for one day; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad dressed in red wine vinegar and torn bread to finish the bowl.