Like most people, I am sometimes annoyed at things that happen on the Internet. Some of them are quite serious and others are rather silly and, today, I'm briefly ranting about a silly one. I don't like it when people call recipes "kitchen hacks". When you put ingredients together, follow instructions, and end up with something yummy, it's not a hack … it's a recipe and that's something that's been created, archived, and shared for literally thousands of years. It's not new-fangled or the hottest new thing. It is, however, delicious!
Last summer, a roasted tomato and feta cheese pasta recipe went pretty viral as one or more videos. It's a nice recipe that I wanted to update for those of us living in cold enough climates that the fresh basil called for is hard to find. I also wanted my garlic roasted alongside the tomatoes because the bite of fresh garlic is not what I want in the dead of winter. I also wanted more garlic because of course I do!
The beautiful stringy nature of this pretty simple pasta alongside the low effort prep and comfort food flare is sure to make it a good go to dinner this time of the year. I'd add a simple side salad or lightly steamed vegetables to complement the rich cheese in the pasta. And I would not say no to a nice glass of chilled white wine either. However you serve it, enjoy!
Roasted Tomato Feta Pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 12 oz. plum tomatoes, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounce block feta cheese
- 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning or another blend featuring lots of oregano and lemon
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta or similar sized pasta of your choice
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the cherry and plum tomatoes along with the garlic and Italian seasoning in an oven-safe baking dish. Pour the olive oil on top, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.
Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish surrounded by the tomatoes and sprinkle with the Greek seasoning.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes burst, and the feta cheese melts.
While the tomatoes and feta are baking, cook the pasta in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid in case you'd like to use it in the sauce.
When the tomatoes and feta come out of the oven, toss it all well to form a sauce. Transfer the cooked pasta to the baking dish with the sauce and toss to combine. Add the reserved pasta water to help create the consistency you prefer in the dish. Serve hot.
- Yields: 6 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes