Baked Feta Pasta

4 standard portions

Source field check · Original source retained

View original recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes (610 grams approx )
• 1 large red pepper (sliced)
• 1 medium red onion (sliced)
• 4-5 large garlic cloves (sliced)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (4 oz, you can 1/3 cup if you want to use less )
• 8 oz block feta cheese
• 8 oz pasta (of choice, I used elbow macaroni pasta)
• 1/3 cup fresh basil (chopped + more to serve)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 F degrees. To a baking dish (mine is 3 qt 12.5" x 8.25"), add cherry or grape tomatoes, followed by sliced red pepper, onion and garlic.
2. Add 1/4 cup olive oil. Then add all the seasonings- Italian seasoning, dried oregano, red chili flakes, salt and black pepper.
3. Mix it all together and then create some space in the center of the baking dish and place a block of feta cheese. Drizzle the block of feta with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.Bake at 400 F degrees for 35 minutes. Meanwhile boil the pasta according to instructions on the package and set aside.
4. Take the baking dish out of the oven. The tomatoes would have burst by now releasing all the beautiful flavor and the cheese will be super melt-y.Take a spatula and mash the cheese and mix everything together. Mash the garlic cloves.
5. Add in the boiled pasta and mix until it's all well combined. Stir in 1/3 cup of chopped fresh basil and mix. Top with more fresh basil and serve the baked feta pasta warm!