Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta

with Burst Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

This one-pot pasta uses a slightly different technique than the others in this chapter. Instead of starting the sauce in a skillet and cooking the dried pasta in it, you cook the pasta first, drain it, then quickly mix together a creamy goat cheese sauce right in the pasta pot. It’s like one-pot mac and cheese, but with the sophisticated flavors of goat cheese, olives, and garlicky tomatoes.

1. Cook the pastaBring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente (follow package directions). Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.Reserving the cooking water helps adjust sauce consistency later.
2. Sauté garlic and tomatoesReturn the pot to medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic; cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of the tomatoes, the olives, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until tomatoes just begin to soften, 3–5 minutes.
3. Make the goat cheese sauceReduce heat to low and stir in the goat cheese and cream until melted and saucy. Remove from heat, then add the drained pasta, remaining tomatoes, Parmesan, and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss until evenly coated. If it seems dry, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time.Taste a piece of pasta; if underdone, return to heat for a minute, stirring.
4. ServeTo serve, top the pasta with extra Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.For a milder flavor, substitute fresh ricotta or a blend of cream cheese and cheddar for the goat cheese and finish with grated lemon zest.

Kosher salt0 count

- Spices

short pasta1 lb

- pasta & grains

Extra-virgin olive oil6 tbsp

- Oil & Vinegar

Garlic cloves5 clove

- Produce

cherry tomatoes4 cup

- Produce

pitted green olives1/2 cup

- pantry

fresh thyme leaves1 tsp

- produce

Freshly ground black pepper1/2 tsp

- Spices

Crushed red pepper flakes1 pinch

- Spices

Goat Cheese6 oz

- Dairy

Heavy Cream1/2 cup

- Dairy

Grated Parmesan cheese1/4 cup

- Dairy

Fresh basil leaves1 cup

- Produce

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