A weeknight pasta that turns a bottle of milk into a silken, herb-forward sauce with nothing more than what you have on hand. This shelf gives you the base for comfort food that costs almost nothing and comes together in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 660 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 91 g carbohydrate, 24 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop in 8 oz of pasta. While it cooks, mince 3 garlic cloves and tear a small handful of fresh sage leaves into pieces. Start heating the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, watching it so it does not boil.10 min
2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a wide skillet over medium heat and add the minced garlic and torn sage, stirring for about 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the warm milk, raise the heat slightly, and let it simmer for 2 minutes without boiling; the sauce is ready when it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.3 min
3. Drain the pasta when it is just tender and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat, season with salt and pepper, and serve in shallow bowls. Grind more pepper over each bowl if you like.

Note Swap the sage for thyme or parsley if that is what you have. Leftovers keep in the fridge for one day but are best eaten fresh. Serve with a green salad on the side or a handful of grated Parmesan at the table to stretch the dish.