This is the story about another viral TikTok trend that I kinda sorted wanted to hate…but didn’t. It’s not that I didn’t think the idea sounded delicious. It’s just that the whole thing seemed too simple. Obviously roasting a block of feta with bursting tomatoes is going to be amazing. But is it good enough to break the internet?
My answer, begrudgingly, is yes. It’s genius. But dare I say, not perfect? Below are my thoughts.
- You don’t need to change the oven temperature. The OG recipe calls for baking the feta with the tomatoes at 400° for 30 minutes then kicking up for the last 10 minutes. After 30 minutes in the oven, I found my feta well on its way to a pretty shade of golden on top. To avoid burning additions like garlic and herbs (see my next note), I think it’s best to keep the temperature steady.
- You can play add more than just tomatoes and feta. Quartered shallots will get nice and jammy, and smashed garlic will infuse the olive oil. Like spice? Throw in a ton of crushed red pepper flakes. Got thyme? Add a couple sprigs for an earthy touch.
- Adding pasta water helps. A scoop of pasta water will help stretch your sauce to coat your pasta more smoothly and generously.
Have you made this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Editor’s Note: We increased the amount of tomatoes in this recipe on February 9, 2021. One pint is all you need, but two is recommended for a fuller, more flavorful sauce.
INGREDIENTS
2 pints /800g
cherry/ or grape tomatoes
1 shallot, quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed (optional)
1/2 cup/125ml
extra virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 (8-oz/230g) block feta
3 sprigs thyme
10 oz/290g
pasta
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400f/200C/Gas 6.
- In a large ovenproof skillet or medium baking dish, combine tomatoes, shallot, garlic, and most of the olive oil. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and toss to combine.
- Place feta into center of tomato mixture and drizzle top with remaining olive oil. Scatter thyme over tomatoes. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until tomatoes are bursting and feta is golden on top.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup/125ml pasta water before draining.
- To skillet with tomatoes and feta, add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, and lemon zest (if using) to skillet and stir until completely combined. Garnish with basil before serving.
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