A weeknight pasta of the kind that tastes better than the minutes it takes. This blend cooks tender and holds a sauce, and a brown butter-garlic finish is all it asks for.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 620 calories a serving, 16 g protein, 92 g carbohydrate, 22 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add 8 oz of the pasta and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, slice 4 cloves of garlic thin. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and cook, swirling often, until it turns golden and the butter smells nutty, about 3 minutes.3 min
3. Toss the hot pasta with the brown butter and garlic. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Toss again, adding more pasta water if needed to coat the strands.
4. Divide between two bowls and finish each with the juice of half a lemon.

Note Swap in fresh herbs like parsley or chives if you have them. Leftovers hold in the fridge for three days and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad or roasted greens on the side.