Creamy baked pasta with feta, mozzarella, fontina, parmesan, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
→ Cheeses
02 - 7 ounces block feta cheese
03 - 3.5 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 3.5 ounces shredded fontina cheese
05 - 1.75 ounces grated parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
06 - 10.5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to preheat.
02 - In a large baking dish, combine halved cherry tomatoes with olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Nestle the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomato mixture and scatter shredded mozzarella and fontina cheeses evenly around the feta.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until tomatoes are burst and cheeses are melted and golden.
05 - While baking, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, grated parmesan, and chopped basil to the baked tomato and cheese mixture. Stir gently to create a creamy, cohesive sauce.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
