Recipe: Simple pantry pasta dish is versatile, full of flavor

Most kitchens have at least one or two (or 10) specialty ingredients taking up space in the fridge or pantry. But if you broaden your scope, they can add layers to your cooking in new and unexpected ways.

Why not stir a tablespoon of green curry into your next risotto? Sprinkle earthy turmeric into mashed potatoes? Perk up a pork chop with five-spice seasoning? Add molasses to caramelized onions? Play with what you’ve got, and infinite options open up.

Sleek, sophisticated and nearly effortless, this creamy miso pasta is the happy result of just that kind of experimentation, coupled with a poorly stocked fridge and zero motivation to cook or clean.

Chips and salsa would have sufficed, but there was only pasta (because there is almost always pasta). And butter, and a wedge of some hard cheese, and a huge number of condiments that rarely see the light of day.

Capers might have added acidity, or turmeric some earthiness. Red curry paste was a wild card. After a thorough scan of the fridge and pantry, an option emerged: Pasta would serve as the bulk, butter the conduit and miso the spark, adding a complexity beyond Parmesan’s blunt salinity.

With the spaghetti boiling away in a pot of water, the work was nearly done. The active portion of this recipe takes minutes: Using a pair of tongs, vigorously toss the cooked pasta with melted butter, miso, shredded Parmesan and enough pasta water to form a creamy sauce.

Dinner for one, cobbled together with ingredients that were on hand, was great — and actually something worth serving to company.

You could experiment with any other condiments or spices you have on hand, such as red pesto, curry paste or ground turmeric in place of the miso.

If you like, top with shrimp, edamame, frozen peas or any steamed vegetable.

You could toss a handful of sliced nori or furikake on top, which would add nice briny notes. But you might as well prowl your pantry or refrigerator to see what else might fit the bill. Sliced scallions or chives, panko bread crumbs, toasted sesame seeds or even some Sriracha might do.

Follow your impulses, work with what you have and you might create your next favorite recipe.

5-INGREDIENT CREAMY MISO PASTA

• Kosher salt, to taste
• 16 ounces spaghetti, linguine or bucatini
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons white (or red) miso
• 4 ounces Parmesan, finely grated (1 packed cup)
• Kizami (shredded) nori, furikake or thinly sliced seaweed, for garnish (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1-1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Add butter, miso and 1-1/4 cups pasta water to pot and whisk over medium heat until miso breaks down and liquid is uniform, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add pasta and Parmesan and cook, stirring vigorously with tongs until cheese is melted and sauce emulsifies. (The key word is “vigorously,” to achieve a silky smooth pasta instead of a gloppy one.)

Divide among shallow bowls and sprinkle with nori or furikake, if using. Serves 4.

Nutritional information unavailable.