Baked feta and burst cherry tomatoes meld with garlic, olive oil and basil, tossed with pasta for a weeknight meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
→ Oven ingredients
02 - 7 oz block feta cheese
03 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes, whole
04 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
→ Finishing & garnish
09 - About 0.5 oz fresh basil leaves, torn (approximately a handful)
10 - Zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and position a rack in the center.
02 - Place the block of feta in the center of a medium baking dish and arrange the whole cherry tomatoes and smashed garlic cloves around it.
03 - Drizzle the feta and tomatoes with the olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes if using; toss the tomatoes gently to coat.
04 - Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the tomatoes have burst and the feta is soft and lightly golden at the edges.
05 - While the feta roasts, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and use a spoon to break up the feta; stir the cheese and roasted tomatoes together until they form a loose, creamy sauce.
07 - Add the drained pasta directly to the baking dish and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches the desired creaminess.
08 - Fold in the torn basil and lemon zest, then taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.
09 - Transfer to plates or a serving bowl and garnish with extra basil leaves; serve immediately while warm.
