# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables & Cheese
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
02 - 18 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Pasta
04 - 10.5 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Olives & Herbs
05 - 3.5 oz pitted Kalamata olives, halved
06 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
→ Seasoning
10 - Salt, to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place the feta block in the center of a baking dish and arrange cherry tomatoes and halved olives around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the feta and vegetables, then sprinkle minced garlic, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and freshly ground black pepper evenly.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta develops a golden and creamy texture.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water then drain pasta.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and mash feta together with tomatoes and olives using a fork to create a creamy sauce.
07 - Add cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss to coat thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water incrementally to adjust sauce consistency as desired.
08 - Top with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
