Angel Hair with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

This is a terrific recipe that covers the three most important cooking criteria for me: delicious, easy, affordable. All recipes need to be delicious of course, and I'm more than happy to try something complex, or spend a little bit of green on some higher priced ingredients (usually seafood). But let's be honest here. We all want to know at least a few really tasty recipes that we can whip up on the fly, especially after a long day when you may barely want to be in the kitchen at all. Now, granted, sun-dried tomatoes and goat's cheese aren't the cheapest things around, but you can dry your own tomatoes in the oven for a cheaper alternative (more on that later) and you can easily substitute a healthy portion of freshly grated Parm. Reggiano for the goat's cheese. The flavours from the white wine and tomato paste really pop here and it's a good enough dish with which to entertain. Don't skimp on the parsley - it's a critical ingredient here. And as for the choice of wine, don't skimp either. You should always cook with a wine that you would drink. When it comes to tomato based sauces that call for white wine I generally use a Pinot Grigio, but you can go with whatever you like (maybe not chardonnay). The recipe comes from Giada DiLaurnetis and it's well worth your time. The whole thing takes about a half hour. Oh... one last thing. I used spaghetti here instead of the Angel Hair pasta because that's what I had on hand. Bon Appetito!

Angel Hair with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup dry white wine
8 ounces angel hair pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and toss to coat, adding some reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and parsley and stir. Mound the pasta into bowls and serve.

This is a terrific recipe that covers the three most important cooking criteria for me: delicious, easy, affordable. All recipes need to be delicious of course, and I'm more than happy to try something complex, or spend a little bit of green on some higher priced ingredients (usually seafood). But let's be honest here. We all want to know at least a few really tasty recipes that we can whip up on the fly, especially after a long day when you may barely want to be in the kitchen at all. Now, granted, sun-dried tomatoes and goat's cheese aren't the cheapest things around, but you can dry your own tomatoes in the oven for a cheaper alternative (more on that later) and you can easily substitute a healthy portion of freshly grated Parm. Reggiano for the goat's cheese. The flavours from the white wine and tomato paste really pop here and it's a good enough dish with which to entertain. Don't skimp on the parsley - it's a critical ingredient here. And as for the choice of wine, don't skimp either. You should always cook with a wine that you would drink. When it comes to tomato based sauces that call for white wine I generally use a Pinot Grigio, but you can go with whatever you like (maybe not chardonnay). The recipe comes from Giada DiLaurnetis and it's well worth your time. The whole thing takes about a half hour. Oh... one last thing. I used spaghetti here instead of the Angel Hair pasta because that's what I had on hand. Bon Appetito!

Angel Hair with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup dry white wine
8 ounces angel hair pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and toss to coat, adding some reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and parsley and stir. Mound the pasta into bowls and serve.