If you love feta and need dinner to more or less take care of itself, this is the one: roast everything, cook the pasta, mash it together, done.

Quick info

  • Portions: 2 people
  • Preparation: 45 minutes (oven + pasta in parallel)
  • Baking: 25-30 minutes
  • Tools: baking dish, pasta pot, fork, knife, chopping board

Ingredients

  • 150g (5.3 oz) pasta (size as desired)
  • 100g (3.5 oz) feta cheese
  • 250g (8.8 oz) cherry tomatoes (datterini or cherry)
  • Chopped fresh basil or oregano to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Prepare the cherry tomatoes: Wash the 250g (8.8 oz) cherry tomatoes. If they are large, cut them in half lengthwise.
  2. Set up the dish: Lightly oil the base of a baking dish. Toss the cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of oil, a pinch of salt and your chosen herb, then arrange them cut-side up in the dish.
  3. Add the feta: Rinse the feta from the brine and place it in the centre of the dish, between the tomatoes. Finish with a drizzle of oil and a pinch more herb if you like.
  4. Bake: Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 200°C (392°F) for 25-30 minutes. The feta should soften and the tomatoes should collapse into a juicy sauce.
  5. Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, keeping a little of the cooking water aside.
  6. Make the sauce: Take the dish out of the oven and mash the feta and tomatoes together with a fork until creamy.
  7. Toss everything together: Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well, loosening with 1-2 tablespoons of cooking water if needed. Serve straight away.