Canned clams come through on a weeknight when you have nothing else on hand. This is aglio e olio meets linguine alle vongole, built from what's in the can and the cupboard, briny and garlicky and honest. It takes the time it takes to boil water.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 630 calories a serving, 16 g protein, 86 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. Add 8 ounces pasta and cook until just tender, about nine minutes; drain but reserve one cup of the cooking water.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, slice 3 cloves garlic thin. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook until light gold and fragrant, about two minutes, stirring often.2 min
3. Pour the clams with all their juice into the skillet. Bring to a bare simmer and cook two minutes to warm through. Stir in the hot pasta and a quarter cup of the reserved cooking water, tossing to coat.2 min
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the pasta seems dry, add more cooking water a tablespoon at a time. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap the garlic for anchovy paste if you have it, stirring one teaspoon into the hot oil. Leftovers keep two days cold and can be turned into a frittata. A green salad or sautéed bitter greens cut the richness.