Cacio e pepe's Italian cousin, this dish lets good provolone sing without cream or eggs to hide behind. The cheese melts into a silky sauce as the hot pasta water does the work, leaving you with dinner on the table in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 550 calories a serving, 26 g protein, 68 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 4 oz [115 g] provolone cheese, grated, 6 oz [170 g] pasta, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 3 tablespoons olive oil, to taste salt, to taste black pepper.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add 6 oz pasta and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes; reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add 4 minced cloves garlic, stirring often until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes; don't let it brown.2 min
3. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the garlic oil, then toss in 4 oz grated provolone cheese and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, stirring constantly off the heat for about 1 minute until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce.
4. Add more cooking water, 2 tablespoons at a time, if the sauce looks too thick; season with salt and black pepper to taste and divide between two bowls.

Cook mode

Note Swap provolone for any firm cheese you have on hand. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for two days and can be tossed with a splash of water and reheated gently. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to soak up the sauce.