Servings: 2

½ lb dry pasta (spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, really whatever, I’m sure penne etc would be great) ½ lb dry pasta (spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, really whatever, I’m sure penne etc would be great)
1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste 1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste
2 cloves garlic, sliced 2 cloves garlic, sliced
Lots of grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup? 1 cup? Eyeballed it this time, tbd on future makings) Lots of grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup? 1 cup? Eyeballed it this time, tbd on future makings)
1 splash olive oil 1 splash olive oil
1 pinch salt 1 pinch salt
Optional: capers, parsley Optional: capers, parsley

Get a wide pan. Into this pan put the pasta, chili paste, garlic, oil, and salt, and add 3 cups water (maybe a little more, still trying to figure out ratio).
Cook on high heat and stir regularly. The water will reduce as the pasta cooks. Your goal is to time it so the pasta water has a nice saucy consistency just as the pasta is finished. Maybe 10ish minutes, give or take.
About a minute before the pasta is finished, and hopefully things are still a little too wet, add the cheese and stir til you’ve got a real nice sauce going on.
Plate and serve. Top with a little more parm if you’re fancy.

If you like capers or parsley, add them in whatever amount you want at the beginning with everything else.  If you like capers or parsley, add them in whatever amount you want at the beginning with everything else.
If you skip the parsley and use those little frozen garlic things instead of fresh, you can do this entire recipe without a knife and without any non-pantry ingredients.  If you skip the parsley and use those little frozen garlic things instead of fresh, you can do this entire recipe without a knife and without any non-pantry ingredients.