Pasta in a Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce with Goat Cheese

Though I rarely eat pasta, preferring instead unprocessed whole grains and legumes, it has proved to be an ideal meal solution on more than one occasion when I failed to plan dinner the night before and found myself with mostly just staples on hand. An added bonus for busy cooks is that this dish comes together in about 30 minutes but tastes exquisite enough to be served at a fine restaurant. Tangy sun-dried tomatoes in a robust tomato sauce pair elegantly with the sharpness of the creamy goat cheese. I'll certainly be making this again, and next time I would add some Kalamata olives or perhaps some sautéed mushrooms. You might even consider substituting some balsamic vinegar for the red wine. Serve with a mixed green salad and you will have everything you desire.

Pasta in a Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce with Goat Cheese

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on May 31, 2009 Pasta tossed in a spicy and robust sun-dried tomato sauce and served with soft crumbled goat cheese Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 6 to 8 sun-dried tomatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed 2 to 3 jalapeños or green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 2/3 cup tomato paste 1 tablespoon dry red wine (optional) 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 4 cups dried pasta (I used organic rye pasta) 3/4 cup soft unripened goat cheese, crumbled Instructions: Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in 1 1/2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop the tomatoes. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeños or chilies, and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine if using and the sun-dried tomatoes, turmeric, cayenne, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn down the heat to medium-low and gradually add the reserved sun-dried tomato soaking liquid. Simmer for 10 minutes or until you end up with a thick sauce. Add more water if desired. Add the parsley and some salt near the end of the cooking time. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta, return to the pot, and pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well. Serve hot and top each servings with crumbled goat cheese. Makes 4 servings

More pasta dishes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Penne with Indian-Style Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms
Pasta with Goat Cheese and Mixed Mushrooms
Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole
Penne with Fennel, Tomato and Blue Cheese