Mediterranean baked feta pasta featuring creamy feta, cherry tomatoes, olives, and fresh basil.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables & Cheese
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
02 - 18 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Pasta
04 - 10.5 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Olives & Herbs
05 - 3.5 oz pitted Kalamata olives, halved
06 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Fresh basil leaves, to serve
→ Seasoning
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the feta cheese block in the center of a baking dish. Surround it with halved cherry tomatoes and pitted Kalamata olives.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the feta and vegetables. Sprinkle minced garlic, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and the feta becomes golden and soft.
05 - While baking, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve half a cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and use a fork to mash the feta and tomatoes together, mixing well to form a creamy sauce.
07 - Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss to coat thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water gradually if a silkier sauce is desired.
08 - Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
