Description
A simple, forgiving, and creamy pasta dish made by baking a block of feta cheese with cherry tomatoes until they burst, then tossing with pasta. It requires minimal effort and cleanup while delivering restaurant-quality flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pints (approx. 40 oz / 1134 g) cherry tomatoes
- 1 block (8 oz / 227 g) feta cheese in brine
- 12 oz (340 g) pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp (2 g) dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Reserved pasta water (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Pour cherry tomatoes into a 9×13 inch baking dish in a single layer.
- Place the block of feta cheese directly on top of the tomatoes.
- Drizzle olive oil evenly over the tomatoes and feta.
- Sprinkle dried oregano, salt, and pepper over everything.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until tomatoes are soft, wrinkled, and bursting, and feta is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While baking, boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente.
- Reserve about 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Mash the burst tomatoes and melted feta together in the baking dish until creamy.
- Add drained pasta to the baking dish with the sauce.
- Add a splash of reserved pasta water and toss vigorously to emulsify.
- Garnish with fresh basil if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not use crumbled feta; a solid block in brine is essential for a creamy sauce. Do not overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook in the hot sauce. Save the starchy pasta water to help bind the sauce. Let the baked dish rest for 5 minutes before stirring to allow the cheese to settle.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 18
Keywords: baked feta pasta, one bowl dinner, easy pasta recipe, creamy tomato sauce, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, quick dinner, vegetarian pasta