Foodie Fridays: Baked Feta Pasta

Apparently TikTok has become a popular source for recipes to try during the pandemic lockdown.  I am not on TikTok, but it is not hard to find other sites that feature these viral recipes.  Recently I found a recipe for Baked Feta Pasta that I decided sounded tasty enough to try, even though I am not a big fan of feta cheese.  For some reason, I had a hard time finding feta cheese in my usual food stores that was not the crumbled variety.  I did finally find a block of feta, and even though it was not the ideal type (sheep's milk) I used it anyway, knowing my sauce would not be as creamy but willing to put up with that difference.

It turns out that this recipe really is fantastic!  I made a few changes, such as adding bell peppers and onion and using garlic-flavored oil instead of crushed garlic.  The end result was so good that I cannot wait to make this recipe again.  I will try harder to find the right type of feta, but really I did not mind the more grainy texture from the feta I used.  I think I need to check out more recipes from TikTok, especially if they are as easy and tasty as this pasta dish!

Baked Feta Pasta

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
2 bell peppers, medium-diced
1 red onion, medium-diced
1/4 C. olive oil
2 T. garlic-flavored oil
6-8 oz. block feta cheese
8 oz. pasta of choice (I used linguine)
fresh basil to finish (optional)

In a large baking pan, toss the tomatoes, peppers, and onion with the oils, adding salt and paper to taste.  Place the feta in the middle, turning it to coat in oil.  Bake at 400°F for 30-40 minutes.

While the feta is baking, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Save 1-2 cups of the pasta water, then drain well.

When the feta and vegetables are done, remove from the oven and stir everything together until the vegetables and feta combine into a creamy sauce.  Stir in the pasta until well coated and creamy, adding in pasta water as needed to loosen if the sauce is too thick (I ended up adding a little over one cup of water).  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and top with torn fresh basil if desired.  Serves 3.