Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340g) pasta (such as penne or rigatoni)
- 1 pint (about 2 cups) cherry tomatoes
- 8 ounces (about 1 cup) feta cheese, block or crumbled
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Choose an oven-safe baking dish that can accommodate the pasta. A 9x13-inch baking dish works well.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- If using a block of feta cheese, cut it into smaller chunks.
- In the baking dish, combine the cherry tomato halves, minced garlic, and feta cheese chunks.
- Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the tomato and feta mixture.
- Sprinkle dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper evenly over the ingredients.
- Gently toss everything together in the baking dish to combine. Ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes have softened and released their juices, and the feta cheese has become creamy and slightly golden on top.
- While the tomato and feta mixture is baking, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Once the tomato and feta mixture is done baking, remove it from the oven.
- Use a fork to gently mash the roasted cherry tomatoes and feta cheese together until they form a creamy sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish with the tomato-feta sauce.
- Gently toss to coat the pasta with the sauce or place to the side of your dish (I like this method).
- Sprinkle more feta (optional)
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.
- Serve your Feta Bake Pasta immediately while it's hot.