Throw dry long hollow pasta in the slow cooker and 3 other ingredients to get a meal so delicious your family will be begging for more.

This little slow cooker supper takes me right back to the lean years on the farm, when Easter might have meant a small ham, but more often it meant making something special out of almost nothing. I call it a poor man’s Easter bucatini because it dresses up a simple box of dry long hollow bucatini pasta with just three pantry staples and the gentle heat of a slow cooker. You simply lay the uncooked bucatini in the bottom, pour over a creamy, tomato-kissed broth, and let time do the work. It’s the kind of humble, comforting meal that fills the house with good smells and has the family circling the kitchen, asking when it’ll be ready—and then asking for seconds.

Serve this creamy bucatini straight from the slow cooker, twirled high in warm bowls. It’s lovely with a simple green salad dressed in vinegar and oil, or just some sliced cucumbers and onions in a little salt and pepper. If you have it on hand, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or any hard cheese over the top adds a nice salty touch. A slice of buttered white bread or a warm dinner roll is perfect for sopping up the extra sauce, and a side of canned green beans or corn makes it feel like the kind of complete Midwestern supper many of us grew up on.

Servings: 4

12 ounces dry long hollow bucatini pasta

Place the dry long hollow bucatini pasta in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, spreading it out as evenly as you can. It’s fine if some strands overlap; just try to keep most of it lying flat so it cooks evenly.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth, heavy cream, and tomato sauce until the mixture is smooth and well combined. This simple blend will become a rich, pink-tinged sauce as it cooks.

Slowly pour the broth-cream-tomato mixture over the dry bucatini in the slow cooker, doing your best to wet all the noodles. Gently press the pasta down with the back of a spoon so most of it is submerged in liquid. A few ends sticking up are fine; they’ll soften as they cook.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the lid and use tongs or a long fork to gently stir and separate the bucatini, making sure no big clumps are sticking together on the bottom.

Replace the lid and continue cooking on HIGH for another 30 to 60 minutes, stirring once or twice more, until the bucatini is tender but still has a little bite and the sauce has thickened and clings to the pasta. Total cooking time will usually be about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on your slow cooker.

Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, give everything a final stir, taste, and if you like, adjust the seasoning at the table with salt and pepper. Serve the bucatini hot, spooning plenty of the creamy tomato sauce over each portion.

If your pantry is as bare as ours used to be after a long winter, this recipe is a blessing because it needs only four ingredients, but you can dress it up when you have a little more on hand. For a cheesier version, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or Parmesan) right at the end until melted and smooth. If you prefer a lighter sauce, swap half-and-half for the heavy cream and add an extra splash of broth if the pasta seems dry. You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken to keep it meatless. For a bit more flavor without adding new ingredients, brown the tomato sauce in a small pan with a pinch of salt and pepper before mixing it with the broth and cream; it deepens the taste and gives the dish an old-fashioned Sunday gravy feel. If the pasta ever gets a little too thick in the slow cooker, just stir in a few tablespoons of hot water or broth to loosen it up before serving. And if your family likes a little texture, top each bowl with toasted breadcrumbs made from day-old bread—just another thrifty trick from farm kitchens of years past.