Mac and Cheese with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Have you ever cooked at meal at home, tasted it, then thought to yourself, "gee, this tastes like restaurant food"?  This pasta, which I promise I cooked myself, tastes like restaurant food in a delicious, sinfully indulgent kind of way.  

We made this for Valentine's Day and loved it alongside a bottle of burgundy red.  Goat cheese and rosemary is a delicious combination, although I just about died when we put an entire quart of heavy cream in the saucepan - that plus eight ounces of goat cheese makes for one rich meal.  If I ever have a cream sauce at a restaurant, now I feel like I know how it's done!

The original dish included roast chicken, but Todd and I omitted it without incident.  I can't say enough how tasty this was, and if you have enough willpower to stop yourself from eating the entire thing in one sitting, it tastes amazing the next day, too!

Mac and Cheese with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

Slightly adjusted from My Baking Addiction

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound dried rigatoni

1 quart (!!!!!!!!!!!!) heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 clove fresh garlic, crushed

8 ounces goat cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add the oil and rigatoni to the water and cook according to the directions on the package, 10-12 minutes.

2. While you are waiting for the water to boil, pour the cream into a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rosemary and garlic to the cream and bring it to a simmer - take care not to let it boil over. Allow the cream to reduce by about half.

3. Stir in the goat cheese and continue cooking it till the cream coats the back of a spoon.

4. Thoroughly drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Serve hot.