Goat Cheese Apple Walnut Pasta

Ingredients

Contains: milk, wheat, tree nuts (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 2 cups ditalini pasta or small elbow macaroni
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large apple - peeled, cored and diced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 ounces creamy goat cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the ditalini until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving a splash of the cooking water.

2. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apple and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

3. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, and simmer for about 3 minutes until slightly reduced.

4. Add the drained pasta, chopped thyme, a pinch of cayenne, and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Stir to coat and heat through, about 1 minute.

5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Crumble in the goat cheese and stir until it melts into a creamy sauce, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water if it becomes too thick.

6. Fold in the chopped toasted walnuts, taste, and adjust the salt and black pepper. Serve warm.