# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
→ Vegetables
02 - 18 oz cherry tomatoes, whole
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Pasta
08 - 10.5 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Herbs & Seasonings
09 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt, to taste
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (for garnish)
# Steps to Follow:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F and allow it to reach temperature.
02 - Place the block of feta cheese centrally in a large ovenproof dish. Arrange cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, diced red bell pepper, and minced garlic around the cheese.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the entire mixture. Sprinkle dried oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper evenly. Gently toss the vegetables without moving the feta.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta softens and browns lightly.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in boiling salted water following package directions until al dente. Retain ⅓ cup (about 3.4 fl oz) of pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and add baby spinach and lemon zest to the hot ingredients.
07 - Add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the dish. Stir gently until the feta melts, evenly coating the pasta with a creamy sauce.
08 - Taste and modify salt and pepper as desired.
09 - Scatter torn fresh basil leaves over the top and serve warm.
