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)
  • 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (1 teaspoon to grease the dish, 2 tablespoons for the tomatoes, the rest over the feta)
  • Scant ¼ teaspoon fine salt (the feta is already salty)

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: Grease the base of a baking dish with 1 teaspoon of oil. Toss the cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of oil, a scant ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¾ of the basil or oregano, then arrange them cut-side down in the dish.
  3. Add the feta: Rinse the feta from the brine and place it in the center of the dish, between the tomatoes. Finish with the rest of the oil and the remaining basil or oregano.
  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.