This shelf holds the most elegant shortcut: good pepperoni that turns humble pasta into something a tired adult will actually want to eat. Slice the sticks, cook them briefly with garlic in oil, then toss with hot pasta and pepper. The meat seasons everything.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 710 calories a serving, 26 g protein, 86 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat. From USDA figures for 67% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 package (about 3 oz) turkey pepperoni snack stix, turkey pepperoni (Hormel), 8 oz pasta, 3 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, for the pasta water salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 oz of pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes; drain but reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, slice the pepperoni sticks into thin rounds and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Warm 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.1 min
3. Add the pepperoni slices to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the edges curl slightly and the fat renders; this is your cue.2 min
4. Toss the drained pasta with the pepperoni and oil, add 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen it. Add more water if you like it saucier.

Cook mode

Note Swap dried chili flakes for the pepper if you want heat. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and rewarm gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated Parmesan and a sharp green salad.