Tomato and Basil Pasta with Goat Cheese

  

Sometimes simple really is best. My original plans had been for grilled pizza with a pesto sauce, but as it reached the time to get dinner started, I found myself lacking in motivation. The idea of hauling out both the mixer, for the dough, and the food processor, for the pesto, suddenly seemed much less appealing than hanging out on the back deck in the sunshine and drinking a cold beer.

I remembered a recipe I'd torn out of Living magazine last summer, that was simply hot pasta tossed in a garlicy olive oil, with hand-torn tomatoes, soft cheese and basil leaves scattered on top. It's no more difficult than boiling water, but in its simplicity, the handful of fresh ingredients get their chance to really shine. The recipe originally calls for burrata cheese or fresh mozzarella, but I thought my use of goat cheese instead was perfect. I was lucky enough to have pretty decent tomatoes, but I know this would be even more awesome later this summer when they at their peak.  

Tomato and Basil Pasta with Goat Cheese
adapted from Living, August 2010
serves 2-4, depending on portion size (We had ours along with chicken sausage on the side)

4 cups uncooked short pasta (I used multigrain rotini)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, pressed
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 medium-large ripe tomatoes
2 oz goat cheese
1/2 cup small basil leaves or if large, cut into ribbons or torn

Cook pasta in salted water, according to package directions. While pasta cooks, mix together oil and garlic in a measuring cup. Add about 1/4 teaspoon salt and several good grinds of pepper and set aside. Over a medium bowl, tear tomatoes into pieces using your hands, catching juices. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.

When pasta is finished cooking, drain well and transfer to serving bowl. Pour garlic and oil mixture over top and toss to combine. Scatter tomatoes over pasta, crumble goat cheese and top with basil. Finish with additional freshly ground pepper.