# Components:
→ Cheese & Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
02 - 2 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes, mixed colors preferred
04 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
06 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
→ Pantry
07 - 12 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or rigatoni)
08 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# Method:
01 - Heat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the feta block in the center of an oven-safe dish and arrange cherry tomatoes, garlic, and onion (if using) around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil evenly over the feta and vegetables, then sprinkle with oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta has golden edges.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions; reserve ½ cup of cooking water before draining.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully mash feta with the roasted tomatoes and garlic using a large spoon until creamy.
07 - Add the hot pasta to the baking dish and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
08 - Plate immediately, finishing with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
