- 2 cups ditalini pasta or small elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large apple – peeled, cored and diced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 ounces creamy goat cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
- Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in apple; cook and stir until golden around the edges, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in chicken broth and increase heat to medium high and simmer 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in goat cheese, 2 tablespoons at a time, to apple broth mixture, stirring well to incorporate after each addition. Remove from heat.
- Mix apple and goat cheese mixture with drained pasta until combined.
- Stir in walnuts, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.