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Ingredients
- For the balsamic vinaigrette:
- 1 pound bow-tie (farfalle) pasta
- 3 ounces dried tomatoes (dry, not packed in oil)
- 2 cups fresh basil, loosely packed
- 1/4 pound Capriole fresh goat cheese
- 3 ounces slivered toasted almonds
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
Preparation
Step 1
Cook the pasta in a copious amount of boiling salted water for 7 minutes (or
according to package instructions) until just al dente. “Shock” it by placing the drained pasta in ice water to cool it, then drain again.
Soak the dried tomatoes in hot water for about 10 minutes until they’re soft, then drain any excess liquid. Pick the basil leaves from stems, and discard stems. Cut the leaves into what is called “chiffonade” by rolling several leaves together into a kind of cigar shape and then cutting them across into very thin strips. Set aside.
Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the mustard, sugar, the two vinegars and
the oil until well blended.
Put the pasta in a large bowl, and stir in the now-softened dried tomatoes, the basil chiffonade and the goat cheese, broken into crumbles. Dress with 1/4-cup of the vinaigrette, taste and add more dressing if desired. Garnish the top with the slivered almonds.