This is one of my favorite pasta dishes.  It’s easy to make – a matter of tossing a few ingredients together – and the creamy, tangy goat cheese is the perfect complement to the soft pasta and wilted greens.  A perfect, light weeknight dinner, the work of 15 minutes or less.  Now that’s what I call an instant classic!

Oricchiette with Greens and Goat Cheese

1/3 box oricchiette pasta (or substitute other short pasta)
2 ounces goat cheese, such as Laura Chenel
2 cups mixed salad greens
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

• In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package directions.  Drain the pasta, but don’t do too thorough a job – you need a little water still in the pasta, to loosen up the sauce.
• Crumble the goat cheese into the drained pasta, turn the heat on low, and toss until the cheese melts and coats the pasta.  Add the greens and toss until they wilt.  Drizzle the olive oil over – no more than 1/4 cup – and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• That’s it!

Source: Adapted from Everyday Pasta, by Giada de Laurentiis