Creamy baked feta pasta with fresh cranberries, tomatoes, garlic, and basil for a flavorful seasonal dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy & Cheese
01 - 7 oz block feta cheese
→ Vegetables & Fruits
02 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup fresh cranberries
04 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
→ Pasta
05 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Oils & Seasonings
06 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Sweetener
10 - 2 tbsp honey
→ Herbs
11 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped; plus extra for garnish
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the feta block at the center of a baking dish and arrange cherry tomatoes, cranberries, and smashed garlic cloves around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the ingredients. Sprinkle with dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the feta turns golden and the cranberries begin bursting.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in boiling salted water following package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven, gently mash feta, tomatoes, and cranberries with a fork to form a creamy sauce.
07 - Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, honey, and chopped basil to the baking dish. Toss thoroughly until everything is well combined and creamy.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm, garnished with additional basil leaves.
