The one that broke the internet, and it genuinely works. Baking a block of feta with cherry tomatoes until both collapse gives you a salty, creamy, slightly sweet sauce with no cream in it at all. Use block feta in brine, never the pre-crumbled kind, which won't melt.
Everything you need
- 4 cups (600 g) cherry tomatoes
- 200 g block feta
- ⅓ cup (73 g) olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups (350 g) dried pasta, short shapes
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Tip the cherry tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves into a baking dish and toss with most of the olive oil, the oregano, chilli and pepper.
For this step
- 4 cups (600 g) cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup (73 g) olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper
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Clear a space in the middle and sit the whole block of feta in it. Pour the remaining oil over the feta and grind more pepper on top. Don't salt; the feta brings plenty.
For this step
- 200 g block feta
- ½ tsp black pepper
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Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and wrinkled and the feta is soft and golden at the edges.
For this step
- 4 cups (600 g) cherry tomatoes
- 200 g block feta
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Meanwhile cook the pasta in well-salted water until just al dente. Scoop out a mug of the cooking water before draining, since you'll need it.
For this step
- 3 cups (350 g) dried pasta
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Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skins into the dish and discard the skins. Mash everything together with a fork into a rough, creamy sauce.
For this step
- 4 garlic cloves
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Tip in the drained pasta with a good splash of the pasta water and stir hard until the sauce turns glossy and coats every piece. Finish with lemon juice and torn basil.
For this step
- 3 cups (350 g) dried pasta
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Worth knowing
- The pasta water isn't optional. Its starch is what turns oily feta and tomato into an emulsified sauce rather than a greasy one.
- Roasting the garlic in its skin keeps it sweet. Peeled cloves scorch and turn bitter over 40 minutes.
Make it your own
- Add a handful of olives and a tin of drained tuna for a puttanesca lean.
- Swap feta for a block of goat cheese, or use boursin for a milder, herbier sauce.
Storing & freezing
Refrigerate for 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water; the microwave splits the sauce. It does not freeze well.
Frequently asked
Can I use crumbled feta instead of a block?
It works but it's not as good. Crumbled feta is drier and often coated in anti-caking starch, so it browns rather than melting into a sauce.
How many grams is a cup of cherry tomatoes?
About 150 g per US cup, so the 4 cups here is roughly 600 g, or two standard punnets.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.