Baked Feta Pasta - Cookingwithdia

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes

½ cup sliced red bell pepper

½ cup sliced red onion

½ cup olive oil

4 cloves peeled garlic, or more to taste

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 8-ounce block of feta cheese

1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta

1 cup baby spinach

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, black pepper, Italian seasoning, basil, and sea salt in a 13×9-inch baking dish.

Step 3

Make room in the middle of the pan and add block of feta cheese. Flip in oil, making sure cheese remains intact and becomes well coated.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until the cherry tomatoes begin to blister and split, 40 to 45 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Step 6

Remove feta-tomato mixture from the oven. Mash garlic, tomatoes, onions, and peppers with a heavy spoon and mix with the feta cheese, creating a sauce. Stir in spinach and cooked pasta. The spinach will get cooked from the heat of the pasta sauce and pasta. Add pasta water, a little at a time if needed, to reach desired consistency. Mix well and serve.

Cook's Notes:

Greek feta cheese made from sheep’s milk produces a creamier pasta than feta made from cow’s milk.

You can use any pasta shape for this dish or substitute spaghetti squash or zoodles for a low-carb option.

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