Creamy Pasta With Tomato Confit & Fresh Goat Cheese

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, for poaching
• 3 plum tomatoes, peeled quartered and seeded
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• kosher salt
• 1/2 lb ditalini (1 1/2 cups) or 1/2 lb farfalline pasta (1 1/2 cups) or 1/2 lb quatrellini pasta (1 1/2 cups) or 1/2 lb fiori pasta (1 1/2 cups) or 1/2 lb gemelli pasta (1 1/2 cups) or 1/2 lb stelline pasta (1 1/2 cups)
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock or 3 1/2 cups low-sodium broth
• 1/2 cup soft fresh goat cheese (4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup tightly packed freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more for serving (2 1/2 ounces)
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes (optional, less if you choose)
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded basil leaves

Recipe

• 1 in a medium saucepan, combine the olive oil with the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and half of the garlic and bring to a simmer.
• 2 cook over low heat until the tomatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• 3 discard the thyme and bay leaf.
• 4 using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a work surface and coarsely chop them; reserve the olive oil for another use.
• 5 in a large saucepan, melt the butter.
• 6 add the onion and a pinch of salt & a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (if using) and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes.
• 7 add the pasta and cook, stirring, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes.
• 8 add the remaining garlic; cook for 1 minute.
• 9 add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to the pasta and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed.
• 10 continue adding the chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and cooking until it is nearly absorbed between additions.
• 11 the pasta is done when it is al dente and suspended in a lightly thickened sauce, about 17 minutes total.
• 12 stir the tomatoes into the pasta.
• 13 off the heat, add the goat cheese and parmigiano-reggiano & another pinch of red pepper flakes (if using) and stir until melted.
• 14 season with salt and pepper, stir in the chives and basil and serve right away, passing additional parmigiano-reggiano at the table.
• 15 m a n g i a !