During the waning days of the pandemic, when it felt safe to go back to the grocery store, I discovered a simple pasta dish on Instagram that was super easy to make and was a crowd pleaser for the whole family. By substituting some of the ingredients with NE sourced foods, and a little white wine (for myself), this dish has been transformed from great to FABULOUS.
INGREDIENTS
1 Block of Feta Voras ($8.00)
2 lbs Cherry Tomatos
3-5 cloves Garlic
1/3 cup TRE Olive Oil - Primo ($13.99 250ml) (divided)
1/4 tsp Martha's Vineyard Sea Salt ($25.00-Hostess size)
1/4 tsp Ground Pepper
1/2-1 tsp Chili Pepper Flakes
1 Sliced Shallot
Bunch Fresh Oregano
Bunch Fresh Italian Parsley
Grated 24 mth. Aged Parmigiano Reggiano ($10.29)
1 Pkg. Cara Nonna Pasta ($5.99-$8.99)
Step 1 - Preheat over to 400 Degrees
Step 2 - Wash your cherry tomatoes and place in oven safe dish (hereinafter the "sauce dish"), along with sliced shallots, garlic cloves and oregano (or other herbs, based on preference). Add Martha's Vineyard Sea Salt, fresh ground pepper and chili flakes. Pour approximately one-half of TRE Olive Oil into dish and mix well to coat. Place block of Feta Voras in center of dish and add remaining TRE Olive Oil over feta cheese. NOTE: Use cherry tomatoes, not grape tomatoes, which are significantly firmer.
Step 3 - Place sauce dish in oven, uncovered, for 25-30 min.
Step 4 - Prepare your pasta.
Step 5 - Remove sauce dish from oven when top of feta is brown, tomatoes are bursting (or ready to burst) and garlic is soft. Let sauce dish sit for 5 minutes
Step 6 - Add Italian Parsley and "fold the cheese" into the dish. Just kidding! Use the fork to mash all of the items in dish until well blended. Note: Watch out for the bursting tomatoes. They can be messy.
Step 7 - Combine pasta and contents of sauce dish. Place in pasta dish and add more Italian Parsley and freshly grated 24 mth. Aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Enjoy.