Festive pasta with baked feta, cherry tomatoes, herbs, and spinach cooked together for a colorful meal.
# Components:
→ Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
→ Vegetables
02 - 1.1 lb whole cherry tomatoes
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Pasta
08 - 10.5 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Herbs & Seasonings
09 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
14 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (for garnish)
# Method:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F to preheat.
02 - Place the feta block in the center of a large ovenproof baking dish. Surround with cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, diced red bell pepper, and minced garlic.
03 - Drizzle olive oil evenly over the vegetables and feta. Sprinkle dried oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes if desired, salt, and black pepper. Gently toss the vegetables while keeping the feta centered.
04 - Bake the dish for 25 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta turns golden and soft.
05 - While baking, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve approximately ⅓ cup (100 ml) of pasta water before draining.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and add baby spinach along with lemon zest.
07 - Incorporate the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water into the baking dish. Stir thoroughly until the feta melts and coats the pasta in a creamy texture.
08 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
09 - Sprinkle torn fresh basil leaves on top and serve warm.
