A bare shelf asks for pantry cooking, so this is butter and cream pasta built on what any kitchen holds. The gellan gum in ultra-pasteurized cream can turn grainy if boiled hard, so low heat and constant motion keep it silky. This is dinner when you are tired and have twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 1030 calories a serving, 18 g protein, 88 g carbohydrate, 68 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add 8 ounces of pasta; cook to the package directions and reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 garlic cloves and set a large skillet over medium heat; add 4 tablespoons of butter and stir often until it turns golden and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Watch it closely—it goes from brown to burnt fast.5 min
3. Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and reduce the heat to medium-low, stirring constantly to prevent the cream from breaking; when it begins to steam, add the cooked pasta and toss to coat.3 min
4. Add the minced garlic and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, stirring gently until the sauce is glossy and clings to the pasta, about 2 minutes. If it is too thick, add more pasta water a splash at a time.2 min
5. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Note Swap the garlic for 1 teaspoon of dried chile flakes if you want heat instead. Leftovers keep two days in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated cheese and a bitter green salad on the side.