Creamy pasta with oven-baked feta, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cheese & Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
02 - 2 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
→ 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 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place the feta cheese block centrally in an oven-safe baking dish. Arrange cherry tomatoes, garlic, and optional red onion around the feta.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the cheese and vegetables. Sprinkle with dried oregano, optional red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta develops golden edges.
05 - Simultaneously, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Using a large spoon, gently mash feta with tomatoes and garlic to form a creamy mixture.
07 - Add hot pasta to the baking dish and toss thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water gradually to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
08 - Plate immediately, topping with grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
