Creamy Feta Tomato Bake

I love this meal so much. It is absolutely delicious and comes together so easily on a weeknight.  You may have seen this feta pasta bake recipe gain popularity on social media earlier this year. Of course I tried it and thought it was great. But then I decided to put my own spin on it by adding sliced onions and chickpeas to make it more filling. I think sliced chicken or veggie sausage (I like Beyond Sausage) would be an excellent addition if you also wanted to add some protein. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 8oz block of feta

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup red onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 Tbl olive oil, divided 

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 pound pasta, I like orecchiette

1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F

Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 9X13 oven safe dish. Place the block feta in the center of the baking dish.  Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, chopped garlic, and chickpeas all around the feta. Drizzle 2 Tbl olive oil over the top. Gently toss olive oil with veggies and chickpeas, leaving the feta in place in the middle. Evenly sprinkle sliced basil over the top of all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. 

While the feta mixture is baking, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Just before draining the pasta scoop out a cup or so of the pasta water. I always use a big coffee mug to do this because it has a handle and is safe in the boiling water. Set the pasta water aside and drain pasta. Put the pasta back into the pot and drizzle with remaining Tbl of olive oil to keep from sticking. 

Take the feta bake out of the oven when the tomatoes look soft and everything has started to brown a bit. Carefully, while everything is still hot, mix the feta with all the veggies and chickpeas. The mixture will get thick and creamy. If you want to thin the mixture out a bit use some of the pasta water. I usually use about a 1/2 cup of the pasta water to get the desired consistency. 

Combine the cooked pasta with the feta mixture and serve immediately. Enjoy with a good, crusty loaf of bread and a side salad.