A simple weeknight pasta built on one shelf staple: a tin of sardines packed in tomato sauce. The sauce clings to the pasta, the sardines soften into it, and dinner is ready in the time it takes to boil water. Serve with crusty bread to soak the oil.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 350 calories a serving, 13 g protein, 69 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Mince 1 clove garlic. When the water boils, add 6 oz pasta and stir.
2. While the pasta cooks, warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the entire tin of sardines in tomato sauce, breaking the sardines into large pieces with a wooden spoon. Simmer gently while the pasta finishes.10 min
3. When the pasta is tender but still firm, drain it and add to the skillet with the sardine sauce. Toss well to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grate the zest of half a lemon over the pasta and squeeze the juice into the pan, then toss once more.

Note Swap canned fish: white beans in tomato sauce works well. Leftovers keep three days covered in the refrigerator; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread.