# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
→ Vegetables
02 - 17.5 oz whole cherry tomatoes
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 and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
14 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (for garnish)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the feta cheese block in the center of a large ovenproof baking dish. Arrange cherry tomatoes, red onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic evenly around the feta.
03 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the vegetables and feta. Sprinkle dried oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss the vegetables while keeping the feta block centered.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the tomatoes burst and the feta is golden and softened.
05 - While baking, cook the pasta in salted boiling water following package directions until al dente. Reserve about ⅓ cup (100 ml) of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Add baby spinach and lemon zest to the hot vegetables and feta.
07 - Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Stir thoroughly until the feta melts and forms a creamy sauce coating the pasta.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
09 - Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and serve immediately while warm.
