Bride of Magazine Challenge: Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

So.
When I told J today that dinner would be meatless, he got really quiet.  My husband is a meat eater, if nothing else. He asked me if we'd need something else to go with the pasta, and I told him no.  With garlic bread and a salad, this was a nice, quick dinner.
I didn't do exactly what the recipe said.  I couldn't find sundried tomatoes that weren't in oil, so I started improvising.  I also halved the recipe to serve 2.  I don't regret my decisions.  We both enjoyed dinner...and were satisfied.  Go figure.
I present to you now from the June 2006 issue of Everyday Food, Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Pasta:

Ingredients:
6 oz penne
1/2 c oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1/8 c pine nuts
1 Tbsp oil from the sundried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
Method:
1.  In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente.  Drain, reserving 1/2 c of the pasta water.
2.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the pine nuts.  Set toasted nuts aside and heat oil in the skillet.  Add pepper flakes and garlic, stirring until fragrant.  Add a small amount of the pasta water and the tomatoes.  Remove from heat.
3.  Return pasta to the pot, add tomato mixture, remaining pasta water, and 3 oz of the goat cheese.  Stir to combine, cover and allow the cheese to melt.
4.  Serve, topped with reserved goat cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Adapted from Everyday Food, June 2006

Cooking the tomatoes in the oil with garlic and pepper flakes meant that the tomatoes themselves were pretty spicy.  They were a nice contrast to the rest of the dish.

Not very colourful, but delicious.  And J didn't miss the meat.  I'd call that a win.