Smoked provolone melts into hot pasta and silky garlic oil for a weeknight dinner that tastes like you've been cooking all day. The cheese's smoke and salt do the heavy lifting, so you need only oil, garlic, and pasta to make something grown-up and filling.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 1060 calories a serving, 33 g protein, 67 g carbohydrate, 74 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 ounces pasta; stir and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes, reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.9 min
2. While the pasta cooks, slice 4 garlic cloves thin and warm 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't catch.3 min
3. Add the drained pasta to the garlic oil and toss; tear 6 slices smoked provolone into rough pieces and scatter over the pasta, then add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water a little at a time while tossing off heat until the cheese coats everything in a loose sauce.
4. Taste and season with salt and pepper; add more pasta water if needed to loosen it.

Note Swap the provolone for any smoked cheese you have. Leftovers hold for two days in the fridge and will need a splash of water reheated gently. Serve with a green salad or roasted vegetables on the side.