Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

It was feeling like a pasta kind of day but since I have been in the swing of spring (gardening, taking walks outside, etc.), I decided to prepare a pasta recipe that is more on the fresh and light side of the spectrum. Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese ended up being my spring inspired pasta dish of choice. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

1 pound orecchiette (small, disk-shaped pasta)

8 ounces Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) crumbled fresh goat cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving one cup of pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens. Add sun-dried tomatoes, cheeses, salt and pepper. Toss to combine, adding remaining 1/2 cup pasta water if necessary.

I must say, I am pleasantly surprised with the end result. I actually don't really like sun-dried tomatoes so I usually avoid them. I went out on a limb when I chose this recipe by deciding to give sun-dried tomatoes another chance. The recipe was intriguing to me because it didn't seem like several of the ingredients should work together. Mixed Mediterranean style greens and sun-dried tomatoes seemed like an odd pairing to me. I knew the fresh goat cheese would be lovely with mixed greens but I thought the sun-dried tomatoes might overpower the greens. I also wasn't sure that goat cheese and parmesan would compliment each other. It is good to be wrong sometimes. Wait, maybe I shouldn't admit that in writing. :) I can honestly say that I enjoyed eating my bowl of pasta but I still can't proclaim to be a fan of sun-dried tomatoes. I would rather eat fresh tomatoes on any given day.

The ingredients in this recipe did end up going together quite well and the end result was both satisfying and reminiscent of spring. This would be a nice dish to prepare for a dinner party or potluck; especially if you like sun-dried tomatoes. It is supposed to keep well in the refrigerator (which is a good thing because this recipe makes a boatload of pasta) so I will be eating it for lunch tomorrow and Friday. Works for me! Anytime I don't have to prepare lunch or dinner the following day, I am a happy camper. A quick side note; I used a high quality pasta by an Italian company out of Abruzzi, Italy. I'm sure the pasta would still be good with a more mainstream orecchiette but I do believe using a high quality pasta elevated the dish.