Baked Feta Pasta
Roasted feta and cherry tomatoes mashed into a quick, creamy pasta sauce no cream, no roux, one pan.
Equipment
- Deep baking dish
- Large pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 block feta cheese 400g / 14oz
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- Salt and pepper
- 350 g penne pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- 1 lemon zested (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven. Preheat to 200°C (400°F).
- Assemble the bake. Set the feta in the middle of a deep baking dish. Scatter the cherry tomatoes and garlic around it. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the Italian seasoning, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
- (Optional step to replace a large piece of feta: I cube my feta up before baking - find it easier to mix around and I end up with little lumps of feta - YUM)
- Roast, 25–30 minutes. Bake until the tomatoes have burst and collapsed and the feta is soft enough to smoosh with a fork.
- Cook the pasta. While the feta bakes, cook the penne in salted boiling water until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Mash the sauce. Pull the dish from the oven and mash the feta and tomatoes together with a fork, right in the dish, until you have a rough, creamy sauce.
- Combine. Add the drained pasta and spinach to the dish and toss well, loosening with splashes of reserved pasta water until everything is glossy and coated.
- Finish and serve. Stir through the basil and lemon zest if using. Taste, adjust the salt and pepper, and serve warm.