Pasta baked with feta, mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan, combined with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
# Components:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz penne or rigatoni
→ Cheeses
02 - 7 oz block feta cheese
03 - 3.5 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 3.5 oz shredded fontina cheese
05 - 1.75 oz grated parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
06 - 10.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
# Directions:
01 - Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place cherry tomatoes in a large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine evenly.
03 - Nestle block of feta cheese at the center of the dish among tomatoes. Distribute shredded mozzarella and fontina cheese evenly around the feta.
04 - Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and cheeses melt into a golden blend.
05 - While baking, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven. Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, parmesan cheese, and chopped basil. Stir gently until creamy and well integrated.
07 - Adjust seasoning as needed, garnish with additional basil leaves, and serve immediately.
