BAKED FETA PASTA
Active time: 10 minutes; Total time: 45 minutes
4 servings
Storage Notes: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
This viral social media recipe is low-effort and packed with flavor. A simple pasta sauce full of salt, tang, acid and a little bit of spice is made from baking feta cheese, tomatoes, olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes until soft before mashing it all together with a fork. For a creamier texture, be sure to use Greek feta (which is made from at least 70% sheep’s milk) in lieu of feta-style cheese made from cow’s milk. Any pasta shape you have on hand will do, but we recommend a medium-length pasta that holds onto the rustic sauce for optimal enjoyment.
INGREDIENTS
2 pints (17-1/2 ounces / 500 grams) cherry or grape tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided Kosher salt
1 block (7 ounces / 200 grams) Greek feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper 12 ounces medium-length dried pasta, such as campanelle, rigatoni or rotini
Fresh basil leaves, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Sprinkle with some salt and toss to coat. Place the feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes and garlic, top with the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle the entire dish with red pepper flakes and a little black pepper. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the garlic has softened and the tomatoes have burst their skins.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.
Mash the feta and tomatoes with a fork and mix until evenly combined. Mix the sauce with pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as needed if it looks a little dry. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. To serve, divide among bowls and top with plenty of basil leaves.