# Components:
→ Dairy
01 - 1 block (7 oz) feta cheese
→ Vegetables
02 - 1.1 lbs whole cherry tomatoes
03 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
→ Pasta
06 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Herbs & Seasoning
07 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp dried basil
10 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Garnish (optional)
13 - Grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Lemon zest
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - In a large baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red onion if using. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently to incorporate.
03 - Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomato mixture. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the feta.
04 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta is golden and creamy.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Use a fork or spoon to mash the feta and roasted tomatoes together, creating a creamy sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Toss thoroughly to coat pasta evenly with the sauce.
08 - Stir in torn fresh basil leaves and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
09 - Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest if preferred.
