When all you have is cream, pasta is the answer. This is a quick weeknight dish that turns half and half into a silky sauce without much fuss, propped up with garlic, butter, and whatever dried herbs you have on hand.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 810 calories a serving, 27 g protein, 95 g carbohydrate, 35 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add 8 ounces of pasta, stirring occasionally until the water returns to a boil.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and mince 3 cloves of garlic into it, stirring until fragrant, about one minute.1 min
3. Pour 1 cup of half and half into the skillet along with 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, salt, and pepper; let it come to a gentle simmer and stir often until it thickens slightly, about three minutes.3 min
4. When the pasta is al dente, reserve one cup of cooking water, then drain and add the pasta to the cream sauce; toss to coat and add splashes of pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.
5. Grate 2 ounces of Parmesan cheese over the pasta, toss once more, and divide between two bowls.

Note Swap dried thyme for oregano or Italian seasoning. Leftovers keep in a covered container in the fridge for one day and reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water. Serve with a sharp green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil.