Yeah, that sounds about right…
I had it for the first time in Italy decades ago. I make it for myself here; I don’t think I’ve ever seen it on a menu here! A simple dish, but it needs great pasta, great oil, and great garlic, and a cook who knows what he or she is doing. I have horrible visions of garlic powder …
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Amen!
I admit to regularly using garlic powder instead of fresh or jarred garlic in many recipes because I am a teacher and garlic powder doesn’t remain on my breath like other types of garlic does. It wasn’t as much of an issue when I wore masks during COVID, but we don’t wear masks at the school where I teach now and I have to be more careful.
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Oh, I use garlic powder too, just not in this dish ….
I still stayed masked this semester when I taught on campus. Perhaps I should have taken advantage of the situation to have garlic bread for breakfast !
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It’s become my impression that ATK/Cook’s Illustrated complicates things just because they can.
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I agree that garlic powder is not appropriate for this dish.
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The recipes are behind a paywall even for basic paying subscribers to the NYT. 
And thanks Meekah, this is spot on “I guess on Planet NY Times they don’t recognize their own absurdity .”
I’ve totally given up on NYT recipes.
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What are the ingredients you’re struggling with in your area?
Also, “boutique” or local shops catering to the tastes of immigrant communities (my road, hardly upscale, is populated by Mediterranean, Asian, and East Asian food shops. Also Polish.
I suppose I’m answering your question with “me”. Me in the world has access to many of these ingredients, but more to the point, they are pantry staples so these recipes suit my assessment of ease.
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I’m not struggling with any in my area, which is metropolitan and a center for multiple international universities, but others in different places may be.
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Without an account, one can’t see the recipes, gift link or not.
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If there is interest in any of the recipes featured, I’d be more than happy to post them here. They’re… extremely easy for when yer burnt out
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I can read the article from my account or from your link, but the recipes are behind a separate paywall.
This is what comes up when I click on a recipe in the article.
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As I wrote directly above your comment, I would be more than happy to share any of the recipes mentioned if you are interested in any of them specifically.
So many thoughts.
Terrible article. Clickbait, inarticulate, mostly awful selection of recipes for the stated goal (if one could even discern that: “extremely easy” — mostly not, “avoiding meal planning” and “avoid a trip to the store” — except many ingredients are fresh and not staples, “avoid ordering takeout” — probably the only goal that actually fits).
People reading NYT recipes complaining about easy availability in NY vs elsewhere… I mean, they are writing for their readership, so read an article from a source more applicable to you if that’s an issue. Also, things like gochujang, harissa, seaweed or seaweed snacks, and plenty of other “international” pantry items are available in regular suburban grocery stores now, not just specialty markets.
But, net net, mostly terrible selection for a clickbait article.
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Huh. I am hardly one to defend the NYT which has a lot of mockable and infuriating qualities but I don’t get the hate directed at this one. It’s perfectly fine. It’s not really clickbait (although as an attractive title) because it’s hardly promising more than it delivers.
As for the recipes, maybe we’re clicking on different ones, but the number of fresh ingredients is really limited and for many, having, say, chicken thighs or procuring them on the way home from work is hardly a challenge. I found that a lot of the one-pot, sheet pan style to correspond to my usual methods of throwing things together but it gave me some new combos to consider.
I also don’t understand the charge of “inarticulate” as I’ve read far worse and this is competent. They provide a list of simple recipes to choose from. It seems so absolutely inoffensive (again, compared to other coverage and stories they offer) that the intensity of emotion is confusing to me.
Maybe it’s because it’s a bank holiday weekend and people are in search of something to distract them, but yeah, the hate makes me wonder if the wrong article is coming up for me.
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I looked at each recipe (bc WTF not? what else do I have to do today? 
). For me, having to go to the store when I’m burnt out seems like a hassle, so I will go by what I usually have available in my own kitchen.
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Spinach orzo dish: feta almost always, very often fresh spinach: scallions or peas not so much. Orzo yes. Doable either leaving out what’s not there, or having to go to shop. Which is a disadvantage.
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The Sopa doesn’t appeal to me, but I do generally have garlic, avocado, crushed tomatoes, limes. Nay on the queso or sautéed mushrooms (wut).
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Gnocchi: never have gnocchi in the house, and shrooms also require a specific purchase as they go bad quickly. Spinach see #1.
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Egg rice: always have eggs & rice, soy sauce & sesame oil. Doable.
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Roasted tomato pasta: pasta in most variations is an easy, burnout-worthy dish.
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A turkey sammich? You don’t say. Doable, but … thx for the inspo I guess?
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Shrimp tacos: always have frozen shrimp and usually tortillas in the house. Quick-pickling cabbage I need to buy first? That’s a nope.
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Gochujang noodz: see #5
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Sheetpan grilled cheese: see #6
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Silken tofu with spicy soy dressing: I like (and have made) this one, although I also don’t usually have silken tofu in the house. Or scallions.
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Whole roasted chicken: easy but requires going out to buy a whole chicken, plus I tend to plan those a few days ahead.
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Udon noodles: see #5, also I never have udon in the house.
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Chicken w/two sides: nope. All requires a shopping trip, and I can’t be arsed to make three things when I’m tired.
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Steamed fish: requires shopping, but is slightly easier if one forewent the rice. Which I would inevitably do
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Chickpea sandwich: chalk ball sammich? No thx.
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Tomato rice with cheddar: that looks like late night drunk/high “cooking,” which I suppose means it’s feasible.
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White bean avo salad: easier. And it appeals. I do tend to have canned beans around.
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Coconut red curry with tofu: I have most ingredients at home minus the tofu. Doable.
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Sure. Staples.
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Good to “use up” flatbread if one has any (I don’t), and generally no buttermilk in the house. Sounds really good, however!
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You got “hate” from my comment? Hardly. I was dismissive, yes.
“Extremely easy” in the title does not apply to more than half the recipes – I subscribe, so I actually did look at all the recipes.
Two hours of roasting tomatoes on a night when you’re fried and on the verge of ordering takeout? Mushrooms and fresh spinach, both of which spoil easily but feature in a bunch of recipes that purport to avoid a store trip? A whole roasted chicken? Easy, yes. Quick, no. 45-60 mins at the best of times. My takeout shows up in 15, or I can pick up a rotisserie chicken at the same store at which I’d have to buy the raw chicken (because a whole chicken also isn’t just sitting in my fridge waiting for a night like this – and if it were in my freezer, well, let’s start counting the time to defrost too; this is also the “no meal planning” article,).
So no, no hate. Just bafflement and disappointment (in my local paper which has a generally decent food section the rest of the time).
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I read this to be directed at the readers’ comments, not yours.
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