Baked Feta & Cherry Tomato Pasta Twists Recipe

Ingredients

500g cherry vine tomatoes
200g feta
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon
A handful of thyme
360g fusilli
A handful of flat leaf parsley
A pinch of chilli flakes

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 30 mins

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Method

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Tip the cherry vine tomatoes into a large, ovenproof dish, discarding the stalks.

2. Nestle the whole block of feta in the middle of the tomatoes. Drizzle over 2 tbsp olive oil and crack over a little black pepper. Slide into the oven. Bake for 20 mins.

3. While the feta and tomatoes bake, fill a large pan with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Set on a high heat, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Finely grate the zest from the lemon. Pick the thyme leaves off their woody stems.

4. When the tomatoes and feta have baked for 20 mins, check the pan of water and, if it’s boiling, add the fusilli. Simmer for 8-10 mins till it’s cooked but still has a little bite.

5. As soon as the pasta is in the pan, take the feta and tomatoes out of the oven. Sprinkle in the chopped garlic, lemon zest and thyme leaves with a pinch of chilli flakes, (they’re spicy, so add as much or as little as you prefer).

6. Use a fork or a masher to crush the feta and tomatoes and muddle them together. Return to the oven and bake for the rest of the time the pasta is cooking. This should be about 7-9 mins. The feta and tomatoes will brown and caramelise a little.

7. Take the dish out of the oven. Drain the pasta and tip it into the dish. Fold together. Taste and add more salt, pepper or a pinch of sugar, if you think it needs it. Scoop the pasta into warm bowls and tear over the parsley to garnish.

8. Love Your Leftovers
The pasta and sauce will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in airtight tubs. Reheat in the microwave till piping hot. The pasta and sauce can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight before reheating.

9. A Spoonful of Sugar
Seasoning tomato-based sauces with a pinch of sugar can help balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, giving you a smoother tasting sauce. You can use any sugar, or even a dash of maple or agave syrup – just add it at the end, stir to mix, then wait 30 secs before tasting to check the sauce has a balanced mix of flavours.