Brown that butter low and slow until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn golden, then toss it with pasta and crisp sage for a meal that tastes far richer than its three ingredients. This shelf's good butter deserves nothing less than to be the star.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 ounces pasta until just under al dente, about one minute less than the package says. Reserve one cup of the water before draining.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 garlic cloves. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter, stirring often, until the milk solids sink to the bottom and turn golden brown, four to five minutes. You will smell it change. Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon dried sage, cooking until fragrant, thirty seconds.5 min
3. Pour the drained pasta into the skillet with the brown butter and toss gently, adding pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to create a light sauce that coats each strand. Taste and season with salt if needed. Tear 4 fresh sage leaves over the top and serve at once.

Note Swap the fresh sage for 2 teaspoons of minced fresh parsley if needed. Leftovers will keep three days in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with bitter greens dressed in lemon to cut the richness.