Creamy pasta with melted Brie, dried cranberries, thyme, and a golden buttery crumb topping.
# What you'll need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or rigatoni)
02 - 1 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water)
→ Sauce
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 7 oz Brie cheese, rind trimmed and cubed
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ¼ cup whole milk
08 - ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
09 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
10 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
11 - ½ tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
→ Tartlet-Inspired Topping
12 - ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
13 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
14 - ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
→ Garnish
15 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Additional dried cranberries (optional)
17 - Extra fresh thyme (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add Brie cubes, heavy cream, and whole milk to the skillet. Stir gently until Brie melts and sauce becomes smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Incorporate chopped dried cranberries, fresh thyme, black pepper, and kosher salt. Lower heat and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Add drained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is reached.
06 - In a small pan, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter over medium heat. Add panko breadcrumbs and optional toasted walnuts, toasting until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
07 - Serve pasta in bowls, sprinkled with buttery crumb topping, fresh parsley, optional extra dried cranberries, and additional thyme leaves.
