The Viral 4-Ingredient Baked Feta Pasta Recipe

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🍝 The Viral 4-Ingredient Baked Feta Pasta Recipe

🛒 Ingredients

  • Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: 2 pints (approx. 4 cups) 🍅

  • Block Feta Cheese: 1 (7 to 8-ounce) block (Go for Greek sheep’s milk feta for maximum melt!) 🧀

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 0.5 cup 🫒

  • Dry Pasta: 1 pound (16 oz), like penne or rigatoni 🌾

  • Fresh Garlic Cloves: 3 to 4, peeled and smashed 🧄

  • Red Chili Flakes: 1 teaspoon (or more if you like it spicy! 🔥)

  • Fresh Basil: 1 large bunch, chopped 🍃

  • Salt & Pepper: to taste 🧂

📝 Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat Your Oven: ➡️ Set your oven to $400^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($200^{\circ}\text{C}$). 🌡️

  2. Tomato Prep: ➡️ Place the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, and 0.25 cup of the olive oil in a large 9×13-inch baking dish. ➡️ Toss with half of the chili flakes, salt, and pepper. 🧂🌪️

  3. Center the Feta: ➡️ Nestle the block of feta cheese right in the center of the tomatoes. ➡️ Drizzle the top of the feta with the remaining 0.25 cup of olive oil, and sprinkle with the rest of the chili flakes. 🧀🫒

  4. Bake Until Bubbly: ➡️ Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst and the feta looks soft, slightly melty, and golden-brown on the edges. ➡️ For a more caramelized top (like in the picture!), switch to broil for 2–3 minutes at the very end. 💡🔥

  5. Boil the Pasta: ➡️ While the feta bakes, cook your pasta in a pot of heavily salted water according to package directions. ➡️ Crucial Step: Before draining, save 1 full cup of the starchy pasta water! 🌾💧

  6. The Magic Stir: ➡️ Remove the baking dish from the oven. ➡️ Take your fork and/or wooden spoon (just like the photo!) and immediately mash and stir the baked feta and burst tomatoes together until a incredibly creamy, uniform sauce forms. 🥄🌪️

  7. Combine: ➡️ Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce. ➡️ Fold in the chopped fresh basil. ➡️ Slowly stir in some of the reserved pasta water (about 0.25 to 0.5 cup) until the sauce is the perfect, luxurious consistency and clings to the pasta. 🌾✨

  8. Serve Immediately: ➡️ Garnish with more basil and a crack of black pepper. Enjoy that creamy, tangy perfection! 🍝❤️

❓ Common Questions & Answers

Q: Can I use crumbled feta instead of a block?

A: It works, but it won’t be nearly as creamy! Crumbled feta has non-caking agents that prevent it from melting properly. The solid block is the secret to that luscious sauce. 🧀

Q: My sauce is too thick. How do I fix it?

A: This is why we save that pasta water! Add an extra splash of the reserved starchy water to loosen it up and make it perfectly creamy. 💧

Q: Can I add extra proteins to this?

A: Yes! It’s delicious with chicken or shrimp, but cook those separately and fold them in at the end to keep the dish simple. 🐔🦐

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