BAKED FETA PASTA

These days it isn’t just your friends and family who introduce you to knew people, places and things. Enter the internet. The internet has connected us where we can’t be connected in real life. I saw the viral feta pasta recipe go round and round TikTok and Instagram, it didn’t really peak my interest until I saw Top Chef alum, Joe Sasto recreate it with olives… pshhooooooooffff mind blown. Check out his recipe here. My grocery list quickly became feta heavy and I was amped to make this baked cheese delight. I added chickpeas for protein and sliced cherry tomatoes to cut through the rich feta. Needless to say there are no leftovers. If you love feta and olives I highly recommend this combo. Keep scrolling to see how I made it… garlic and gluten free of course.

BAKED FETA PASTA

PREP TIME: 15 mins

COOK TIME: 30 mins

SERVING SIZE: 4 servings

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1/2 Cup of pitted kalamata Olives

• 1 Block of Greek Feta Cheese - drained

• 1 Lemon

• 2-3 Tablespoons of Honey

• 4 Springs of Thyme

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 Can of chickpeas (optional)

• 1/2 Cup of cherry tomatoes

• Box of Gluten-Free Pasta (whatever you like)

• A pot

• An oven safe baking dish

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Pre-Heat your oven to 375 Degrees

2. Fill a large pot with water and and bring to boil (this is for your pasta)

3. In an oven safe baking dish drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of the dish

4. Place the drained Feta Cheese in the center

5. Scatter the olive around the dish

6. Add the juice of a lemon and a few lemon segments, I removed the skin so it wouldn't make the dish bitter

7. Drizzle with olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and thyme

8. Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until the feta starts to brown.

9. While the cheese is baking drain a can of chickpeas and heat them up in a fry pan with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Make sure the pan is medium/high heat so the chickpeas fry a little, making them slightly crunchy. Then set aside.

10. Slice 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes and set aside.

11. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

12. Remove the cheese from the oven and add the cooked gluten-free pasta to the baking dish.

13. Toss everything together and add some pasta water to help it all combine. Mine came out extra thicc I should have added more pasta water.

14. Once combined plate add the chickpeas and sliced tomatoes and enjoy!

*chickpeas are totally optional I wanted to add more protein to the dish