- 1 pound pasta, such as penne, farfalle or gemelli
- 2 cups marinated roasted red peppers, drained, half cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
- 6 oil-packed anchovies
- 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon black olive tapenade (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1/2 cup mild fresh goat cheese
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
- In a large pot of generously salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, in a mini food processor, combine the whole roasted peppers, anchovies, garlic, tapenade and thyme and process until finely chopped. Add the goat cheese and process until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- Return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce, the roasted red pepper strips and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until the pasta is thoroughly coated, about 2 minutes; add more of the pasta cooking water if the sauce is dry. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowls and serve, passing cheese on the side.