Baked Feta Pasta

Step 1

Prep oven. Heat oven to 400°F (205°C).

Step 2

Prep the tomato feta sauce. Place the block of feta in the center of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Arrange the tomatoes around the feta, then drizzle everything evenly with the olive oil and white wine.  (I recommend giving the ingredients a brief toss so that they are evenly coated in the oil.)  Sprinkle the crushed red pepper flakes evenly over the feta, and season the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Step 3

Bake. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and are nice and juicy.

Step 4

Meanwhile, cook the pasta. While the tomatoes and feta are baking, heat a large stockpot of generously-salted water until boiling.  About 10 minutes or so before the tomatoes and feta are set to finish, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is just 1 minute or so shy of al dente.  Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside for later, then drain the pasta.

Step 5

Put it all together. Remove the baking dish from the oven.  Immediately add the garlic and basil and stir the mixture together until the feta has melted into a creamy sauce.  Add in the cooked pasta and spinach and gently toss until the pasta is evenly coated and the spinach has begun to wilt.  If the sauce seems too dry, add in some of the reserved starchy pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

Step 6

Season. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.

Step 7

Serve. Serve warm, garnished with lots of Parmesan cheese, and enjoy!