S+S chow: goat cheese and sun-dried tomato pasta

We here at S+S are big fans of Martha, her recipes never disappoint. We both have a subscription to Martha's Everyday Food magazine and highly recommend it to anyone who loves to cook! This is a recipe I found in one of my Everyday Food's a few years ago and it is fantastic, so easy and so delicious. enjoy!

Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomato Pasta

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 12 ounces rigatoni, penne, or other short tubular pasta
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 5 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled, plus more for topping (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions. Add sun-dried tomatoes, and cook 3 minutes. Remove 2 cups pasta water; reserve. Drain and return pasta mixture to pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; reserve. Return skillet to medium heat; add oil, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
3. To pasta mixture in pot, add garlic mixture, reserved pasta water, cheese, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Let stand until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Divide pasta among four shallow dishes; sprinkle with almonds and, if desired, additional cheese.