Ingredients
Scale
- ½ pound penne pasta, uncooked
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- one 8-ounce block feta cheese, drained
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and get a medium baking dish ready.
- Pour the cherry tomatoes into the baking dish, scatter the finely chopped garlic over them, and season with the salt and black pepper.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and garlic, tossing lightly to coat everything.
- Nestle the block of feta cheese right in the center of the tomatoes, then drizzle a little extra oil over the top of the feta.
- Bake for 35 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and bursting and the feta is soft and lightly golden on top.
- While the feta bakes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Use a fork to mash the feta and burst tomatoes together into a rough, creamy sauce.
- Add the drained penne directly to the baking dish and toss everything together, adding a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Scatter the fresh basil over the top, give it one more toss, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use full-fat block feta packed in brine for the creamiest results.
- Don’t rush the oven time; the tomatoes need to fully blister and collapse to build flavor.
- Always reserve pasta water before draining, it’s the easiest way to fix a sauce that’s too thick.
- This recipe doubles well if you’re cooking for a crowd; just use a larger baking dish.
- For extra depth, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tomatoes before roasting.
- If your feta isn’t browning on top, switch to broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal S
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1000 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg