A festive pasta with baked feta, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan for a rich, savory dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cheese & Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
02 - 2 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes, mixed colors preferred
04 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
06 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
→ Pantry
07 - 12 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or rigatoni)
08 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking.
02 - Place the feta cheese block in the center of an oven-safe dish and arrange cherry tomatoes, garlic slices, and optional red onion around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the dish, then sprinkle with dried oregano, optional red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta edges turn golden.
05 - Simultaneously, cook the pasta in boiling salted water following package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
06 - Remove the dish from the oven, then gently mash and mix feta with roasted tomatoes and garlic until creamy.
07 - Add hot pasta to the baking dish and mix thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
08 - Plate immediately, finishing with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
