Creamy Baked Orzo with Goat Cheese

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups orzo
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino cheese


Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orzo until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese and milk and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the cheeses are melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the cooked orzo and the parsley to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the pasta into an 8-inch baking dish and sprinkle the Pecorino on top. Bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned.