- 2 pints (20 oz) grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 7 oz. block feta cheese (sheep’s milk variety), drained
- 10 oz. dry pasta (bite size)
- 5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 8 oz. spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add feta, tomatoes, and oil to baking dish: Add grape tomatoes and garlic to a Berry & Thread Square Baker. Toss with olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Place feta in the center of tomatoes and turn to coat with oil.
- Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Then remove the baking dish, and raise oven rack up to upper 1/3 of the oven. Return baking dish to oven and increase oven to 450 degrees. Bake until tomatoes and cheese are starting to brown slightly, about 10 minutes longer.
- Cook pasta: Meanwhile boil pasta to al dente in salted water (I use 1 Tbsp salt and about 3 or 4 quarts of water), according to time listed on pasta package.
- Save some pasta water, cook spinach: Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and right before draining pour and submerge spinach in with the pasta (it should wilt almost instantly). Drain pasta and spinach.
- Mix feta mixture: Smash the tomatoes, garlic, oil and feta together with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Add pasta and herbs: Toss pasta in with mixture along with basil, parsley and red pepper flakes.
- Thin and season: Thin mixture with a few tablespoons of pasta water at a time to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.