Parsley & Nutmeg Chevre Pasta in Herbed Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Dinner last night!

Parsley & Nutmeg Chevre Pasta in Herbed Heirloom Tomato Sauce

So, I’m a Pinterest addict, like every other red-blooded human on the planet this year. And I am a sucker for a good Pinterest-posted recipe. However, I am also sort of picky about food, don’t have the patience to follow a recipe all-the-way, and require WAY more cheese than the average recipe calls for (although in other areas, I definitely like to lighten up my meals).  What usually happens is I create a hybrid of many different Pinterest recipes, adding in my own food knowledge and a dash of health and vegetarianism, and whatever happens to need used up in the fridge. This is a dish I made on a chilly Spring Sunday. Bonus: leftovers for the workweek.

The Sauce:

1.5 pint cartons heirloom cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. Kerrygold Irish herbed butter

7 thyme leaves, minced

3-4 tbsp. fat free half&half

Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

--Start by warming the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Slash the tomatoes so the juices can escape, and toss them into the pan once the butter has melted. Stir vigorously several minutes, over med-high heat. The tomatoes should start softening. Push on them a little with a whisk (and beware flying juices). Add sage and stir. Add cream, salt, and pepper. The sauce should look bubbly, buttery, and silky. (I had to steal a few tastes.) Let simmer.

The Pasta:

¾ box whole wheat fusilli, or pasta of your choice

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

--Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and toss into an oiled glass casserole dish. Pour a little oil onto the pasta to prevent sticking. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

The Cheese:

½ white onion

5 tbsp. dried parsley

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. nutmeg

4 oz. chevre (goat cheese) *Ricotta can be subbed for a milder, less sweet flavor.

3 tbsp. –ish fat free half&half

Start by sautéing the onions in oil, about 3 minutes. Throw in the parsley and sauté another minute or so. Transfer onions to a small bowl, and add chevre and nutmeg. Stir in cream—use enough so that the texture is creamy, not so much that your onions are swimming in a milkbath.

Scoop cheese mixture over pasta, and smash downwards to incorporate it into the dish. Next, pour tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with good Parmesan, and transfer to the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until bubby.

I am a freak for cheese, so I actually poured the piping hot pasta over a medallion of fresh mozzarella in a serving bowl. The whole concoction was ooey-gooey and delicious.

To serve for dinner, I’d pair with a nice Pinot Noir (what WOULDN’T I pair with a nice Pinot Noir?) and a hunk of rustic bread (whole grain, of course!), and maybe a simple salad—say, arugula with a lemon vinaigrette. Think dry flavors, because the pasta, in all its chevre nutmeg tomatoey glory, is comparatively sweet (and rich and decadent tasting, so a little goes a long way).

Enjoy!

Lindsey.