Description
Imagine a dish that’s both incredibly comforting and delightfully simple to prepare. This creamy baked feta pasta is a revelation, blending the tangy, salty goodness of baked feta with sweet, bursting cherry tomatoes and tender pasta, all brought together with a hint of garlic and a touch of spice.
Ingredients
1 block (7 oz) feta cheese in brine
2 pints (around 4 cups) cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz penne or rotini pasta
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a baking dish.
Nestle the feta block into the tomatoes and coat it with oil.
Bake for 35 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta is soft and golden.
Cook pasta until al dente, saving some pasta water before draining.
Mash the baked feta and tomatoes into a smooth sauce.
Stir in the pasta and basil, thinning with pasta water if needed, and serve warm.
Notes
For the best results, opt for a block of feta packed in brine. Crumbled feta can sometimes be drier and won’t yield as creamy a sauce.
Cooking the pasta until it’s just tender ensures it will hold its shape and texture when tossed with the sauce. A little chewiness is perfect.
That starchy pasta water is liquid gold! It helps to emulsify the sauce, making it extra creamy and helping it cling beautifully to every piece of pasta.
While dried basil can be used in a pinch, fresh basil truly shines here, adding a vibrant aroma and flavor that completes the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Calories: N/A
- Fat: N/A
- Carbohydrates: N/A
- Protein: N/A