When your shelf holds only good butter, brown it until it smells like hazelnuts and toss it with pasta, sage, and garlic. This is the sort of thing to make on nights when you want dinner to taste like someone who knows what they are doing, in twenty minutes flat.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 730 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 86 g carbohydrate, 36 g fat. From USDA figures for 60% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 ounces pasta until just under al dente, about 1 minute before the package says, then drain and set aside.12 min
2. While the water heats, mince 3 cloves garlic and tear 8 fresh sage leaves into pieces.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons Kerrygold butter, swirling often as it foams and turns golden then hazelnut brown, about 4 minutes, until the milk solids smell toasty; watch it closely so it does not burn.4 min
4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add 1 teaspoon dried sage and stir for another 10 seconds.1 min
5. Tip the drained pasta into the skillet along with 2 tablespoons pasta water, toss to coat everything in the brown butter, and cook for 1 minute to warm through; add the fresh sage pieces and toss again.1 min
6. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then divide between two bowls and eat at once.

Note Swap the fresh sage for fresh parsley or thyme if that is what you have. Leftovers do not keep well; this is best eaten fresh. Serve with a simple green salad or bitter greens dressed in lemon juice and more of the brown butter.