For when nothing really sounds like food:
Boil 2oz of pasta with 8oz water by weight and a pinch of salt per person in a small pot, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Any salt you add here will be retained, so go easy.
Once the water boils, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until water is almost entirely absorbed and pasta has just started to stick. There will be a very starchy few tablespoons of liquid still in the pan with the pasta.
Reduce heat to low and stir in 1tbsp butter. Water will express from the butter and free up pasta stuck to the bottom of the pan and the fat will combine with the starch into a sauce.
When the water is evaporated the pasta will begin to stick again, so remove from heat after a few seconds and stir until no longer cooking.
Top with fresh ground black pepper and parmesan.
Basically any shape of pasta works, from elbows to long noodles, though long noodles require a saute pan. Ramen also works.