Bachelorette Supper: Spaghettini with Tomatoes & Goat Cheese

My husband decided to spend Saturday night watching the hockey game with the boys. I had a long week at work this week and the only thing I wanted to do was to kick my feet up and maybe watch the re-airing of the series finale of ER.

The prospect of having dinner on my own got my wheels spinning to create something delicious but also relatively simple. Then I remembered something I used to eat all the time in my bachelorette days. I guess this dish fell to the way side because my husband is a vowed meat eater and despite my earnest attempts to prepare the occasional vegetarian meal for him, he simply doesn't see a meal without meat is a meal.

When he decided to do a boy's night out, I decided to treat myself to this long lost friend. This is a simple pasta with clean flavours that's a snap to make but feels like a treat. Fresh juicy tomatoes on top of silky noodles with a generous dollop of velvety tangy goat cheese. It is easily my favourite dinner for one.*(No doubt this is even better when tomtatoes are at their peak in late summer.)

*You can definitely increase the quantities if you are serving more than just yourself. I think it makes a really nice main dish in the warm, sticky summer nights. It's a really beautiful but simple dinner. Bon Appetit.

Spaghettini with Tomatoes & Goat Cheese

1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp butter

handful of baby arugula (rocket) or a couple of basil leaves
dollop of goat cheese

quantity of a fine noodle pasta like cappellini or spaghettini

1. Boil water and add pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saucepan, add garlic and cook until the garlic sizzles. Add tomatoes and simmer. Let the tomatotes simmer down into a sauce.
3. Add the arugula until it wilts.
4. To finish, add a pat of butter to create a sauce.
5. When pasta is al dente, drain pasta reserving a cupful.
6. Add a small amount of the pasta water to the tomato sauce if you want the sauce to be a little thinner.
7. Plate pasta and scoop tomatoes and arugula on top.
8. Dollop with goat cheese and serve.