Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients

• 2 pint Cherry tomatoes
• about 225 g Feta cheese block
• 0.5 cup Olive oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 0.25 tsp Salt
• 0.25 tsp Black pepper
• about 450 g Pasta (gluten-free)
• 0.5 cup Fresh basil, chopped

Original measure retained: its cup/spoon or fluid-volume standard is unspecified.

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to about 205°C (200°C). Place the 2 pints of cherry tomatoes and the about 225 g feta cheese block into a medium baking dish (e.g., 22.86 × 33.02 cm). Drizzle the 0.5 cup of olive oil over the ingredients, then sprinkle with the 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp of dried oregano, 0.25 tsp of salt, and 0.25 tsp of black pepper.
2. 2Bake the dish in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes are softened and bursting, and the feta cheese is melted and lightly golden on top.
3. 3While the tomatoes and feta are baking, fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the about 450 g of gluten-free pasta to the boiling water and cook for 8-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite (al dente).
4. 4Before draining the cooked pasta, carefully scoop out 0.5 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Then, drain the remaining water from the pasta using a colander.
5. 5Once the baking dish is removed from the oven, use a fork or potato masher to gently mash the baked feta cheese and softened cherry tomatoes together directly in the baking dish, until a rustic sauce forms.
6. 6Add the drained about 450 g of cooked gluten-free pasta to the baking dish with the sauce. Pour in the reserved 0.5 cup of pasta water and stir everything together thoroughly until the pasta is coated.
7. 7Finally, stir in the 0.5 cup of chopped fresh basil until well combined. Serve immediately.

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