Mediterranean dish blending baked feta, cherry tomatoes, olives, and pasta for a simple flavorful meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables & Cheese
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
02 - 3.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Pasta
04 - 10.5 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Olives & Herbs
05 - 3.5 oz pitted Kalamata olives, halved
06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Fresh basil leaves, to serve
→ Seasoning
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F to prepare for baking.
02 - Place the block of feta cheese centrally in a baking dish and arrange cherry tomatoes and Kalamata olives around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the feta and vegetables, then sprinkle minced garlic, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper evenly.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta turns golden and soft.
05 - While the dish bakes, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and use a fork to mash the feta and tomatoes together, blending into a creamy sauce.
07 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly, incorporating reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired sauce consistency.
08 - Finish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
