Warm Pasta with Baked Goat Cheese

Total time: 25 minutes
     This is a cross between a hot, winter pasta dish and a cool, summer salad.  Breading the cheese keeps it firm. The goat cheese normally comes log-shaped (long, round), and wrapped in paper.  It will have a thin rind that is an edible part of the cheese.  You could substitute another, semi-soft cheese such as Brie or Camembert.

 Ingredients:

• 4 - 5oz aged goat cheese, 135gr, 4.8oz
• 3 shallots, medium, about 3/4cup sliced, 75gr, 2.6oz
• 4 thin slices Prosciutto, 100gr, 3.5oz
• 3/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, 135gr, 4.8oz
• 3 tbs dried bread crumbs, 21gr, .74oz
• 2 tbs olive oil, 27gr, .96oz
• 1 1/2 tbs white Balsamic vinegar, 24gr, .84oz
• 4oz spaghetti, a circle about 1" (2.5cm) across, 100gr, 3.5oz

 Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.
• Peel and roughly chop shallot.
• Cut Prosciutto into bite-size slices. 
• Cut tomatoes in half. 
• Heat 2 tbs olive oil in medium nonstick skillet.  Add shallots and sauté until starting to brown, about 15 minutes. 
• Add Prosciutto, and sauté 2 - 3 minutes longer. 
• Add cherry tomatoes and heat through. 
• Add vinegar and pasta, and stir/toss to combine.  Remove from heat.
• Slice cheese into 4 - 6 rounds. Each round should be between 1/3 and 1/2 inch thick (about 1cm).
• Put bread crumbs on a plate.
• Roll the edges of the cheese in the crumbs, then dip both sides, so it's completely coated.
• Place on a baking sheet. Bake, 400F (200C) for 3 - 4 minutes, just until you see the tops sink slightly or cheese ooze slightly.  If it hasn't happened after 4 minutes, take them out anyway - they're ready.
• To serve:  Divide pasta between 2 plates. 
• Top with rounds of cheese and serve immediately.

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Nutrition Information               Recipe serves 2            Entire Recipe / per serving Calories:   1596 / 798 Total Carbohydrates:   108 / 54           Dietary Fiber:   2 / 1 Total Fat:   96 / 48          Saturated Fat:   44 / 22 Cholesterol:   240 / 120 Protein:   84 / 42 Calcium:  1288 / 644 Sodium:    2576 / 1288

General Technical Details and Disclaimer:

Measurements are actual measurements used for calculation. If there are no values the nutritional numbers were simply too small.

I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it.  I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.

My information comes from my own digital, computerized scale and the USDA Nutrient Data Library: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/