A Baked Feta Pasta recipe went viral on TikTok in 2020, but somehow I missed it. I was probably too busy creating my own recipes for my Zoom classes, plus, I am a social dropout. The recipe has continued to be printed and demonstrated on blogs, TicTok, and Instragram for the next 2 years. I’ve missed all of them until now, when a recipe for an adaptation crossed my computer.
It’s obvious why the recipe is so popular. It’s dinner in a baking dish, with the addition of cooked pasta thrown in. The original recipe consists of a block of feta, tomatoes, olive, salt and pepper that is baked, and then tossed with fresh garlic, cooked pasta and basil. It's not only a super flavorful dish but it's also beyond easy to make. It's one of those perfect dinners that you can prepare without really having to pay attention to it.
You can get the original tomato recipe from blogger, MacKenzie Smith, a 2 time Food Network Champ and Cookbook author—- https://grilledcheesesocial.com/2019/06/27/baked-feta-pasta-with-tomatoes./
MacKenzie has come up with a squash variation which I want to share with you. I made it 3 nights ago and we are are still enjoying it. I made a couple of adjustments (I can’t help it). She added honey, which I couldn’t detect in the finished dish, and I added a couple of drops of chili oil, which I think really helped heighten the flavors. The recipe makes an enormous amount., but it doesn’t make much sense to cut the recipe in half—you would have to use a very small baking pan, half the cheese and half pound of pasta .
TIPS:
The size of the pan is important. If it is too large, the veggies won’e caramelize. For the pasta you can use any you like, but a short type will work best. The squash is best cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces so they will all cook in 30 minutes. You may want to skimp on the olive oil, but don’t. The squash needs it so it will caramelize without drying out. You’ll want to save lots of pasta water if you have leftovers. Pasta soaks up sauce as it sits, so add more than you think you’ll need if you plan to reheat it. It reheats great in the microwave.
There’s a reason this recipe has gone viral. It’s really easy to make, delicious and inexpensive.
Baked Feta and Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage & Garlic
5 cups (24 oz.) butternut squash - about 1 large butternut squash, cut into about 1 1/2-inch squares
½ cup olive oil plus more for drizzling
2 hefty pinches salt (just shy of ½ tsp)
1 (8 oz.) block feta cheese
1 lb. pasta, any short pasta will work well
10 large sage leaves minced (at least 2 tablespoons)
3 garlic cloves finely minced
1 can (14 to 15 oz.) navy or other white beans, drained and rinsed. optional
1 or more drops chili oil, optional
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet or 9 x 13-inch roasting pan, toss butternut squash with olive oil, 2 hefty pinches of salt and a few cranks of fresh pepper. Push the squash around the sides of the pan put the block of feta in the middle. Drizzle the feta with a little bit of olive oil and add season with fresh pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, take the butternut squash feta mixture out of the oven and slightly move the butternut squash - be sure not to touch the feta. You just want to make sure the squash isn’t burnt on the bottom. Increase oven to 450 degrees and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the feta is slightly browned.
4. Meanwhile, boil 1 lb. of pasta in salty water. Once it’s al dente, strain and save 2 cups of the pasta water.
5. Once the feta is browned, remove the baking dish from the oven and immediately stir in minced garlic, minced sage leaves, chili oil, if using and beans. Now add the pasta and 1 cup of pasta water and stir everything together.
6. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water, little by little, until the sauce is creamy and smooth. Season the whole thing with more salt and pepper.
Makes 8 servings.
Recipe adapted from MacKenzie Smith grilledcheesesocial.com
