Creamy pasta with tangy baked goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and a crisp snowflake crumb topping.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Tomato Sauce
02 - 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
04 - 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
06 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
07 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Goat Cheese Snowflake
08 - 8 oz fresh goat cheese log
09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
11 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Finish
12 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - In a large ovenproof baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper; toss until evenly coated.
03 - Place the goat cheese log in the center of the tomato mixture. In a small bowl, blend Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, and olive oil; sprinkle evenly over the goat cheese to form a snowflake pattern.
04 - Bake the dish for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes soften and blister and the cheese develops a golden crust.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in boiling salted water to al dente as per package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven, add the hot pasta along with a splash of reserved pasta water, and gently stir to create a creamy sauce, breaking up the goat cheese while mixing.
07 - Fold in torn basil leaves and pine nuts if desired. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
