Description
Goat cheese pasta delivers creamy Mediterranean comfort with simple, elegant ingredients. Italian-inspired herbs and tangy goat cheese create a luxurious dinner you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) campanelle pasta (or other shaped pasta)
- 8 ounces (226 grams) goat cheese, in a log
- 2 pints (680 grams) cherry tomatoes
Herb and Spice Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fresh oregano leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried oregano)
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 to 8 basil leaves, torn, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) basil pesto (preferably homemade)
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
Seasoning and Oil:
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) olive oil, divided
Instructions
- Fire up the oven to 425°F (220°C) and simultaneously prepare a generously salted large pot of water for the pasta.
- Assemble the roasting vessel by scattering cherry tomatoes, finely sliced garlic, delicate shallot pieces, fragrant oregano, and fiery red pepper flakes. Lavish 2 tablespoons of olive oil across the ingredients, sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Thoroughly toss to ensure even coating. Nestle the goat cheese centrally and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
- Slide the dish into the heated oven, roasting for 22 to 25 minutes until tomatoes transform into blistered jewels and goat cheese softens luxuriously.
- During tomato roasting, cook pasta in boiling water following package instructions until perfectly al dente. Carefully reserve 1/2 cup of starchy cooking liquid before draining.
- Extract the roasted dish, introducing pesto to the molten tomato and cheese landscape. Gently fold ingredients, delicately breaking goat cheese to create a silky sauce. Incrementally incorporate reserved pasta water to achieve desired creamy texture. Fold cooked pasta thoroughly, ensuring complete sauce coverage. Finish by scattering torn fresh basil leaves as a vibrant garnish.
Notes
- Grab top-quality goat cheese that melts smoothly and offers rich, tangy flavor for an authentic dish.
- Reserve about half a cup of starchy pasta water before draining, which acts like magic sauce glue when mixing ingredients.
- Roast cherry tomatoes until they’re slightly blistered and caramelized, enhancing their natural sweetness and concentrating their deep flavor.
- Chop fresh basil leaves right before adding them to maintain maximum aromatic intensity and bright green color.
- Toss pasta gently to prevent breaking delicate noodles and ensure even coating with creamy goat cheese sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg