A weeknight pasta built on salty cheddar and salami from the shelf, finished with cream and black pepper to make something whole. The salami melts into the pasta water, the cheese does the work of a sauce, and dinner is ready in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 880 calories a serving, 30 g protein, 76 g carbohydrate, 50 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 a boil and add 6 oz pasta, stirring to separate; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining when the pasta is al dente.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, dice 1 small onion and mince 2 garlic cloves, then cut the salami snack into thin strips or small cubes.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a wide pan over medium heat and add the diced onion; cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about four minutes, stirring once or twice, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another thirty seconds.5 min
4. Add the salami to the pan and stir over the heat for one minute to warm and begin rendering the fat, then add 1/2 cup heavy cream and let it come to a gentle simmer.2 min
5. Add the hot pasta to the cream, tossing to coat, then add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the pasta loosely; the starch in the water helps emulsify the sauce.
6. Grate 2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta and toss again, taste and adjust salt and pepper, then divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap the cream for milk if needed, though the sauce will be thinner. Leftovers hold three days covered in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to soak the sauce.