vegetarianPreheat the oven
Set your oven to 400° F and let it fully preheat while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Prep the aromatics
Peel and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Strip the leaves from the basil, chop enough to make about 0.2 cup packed, and keep a few nice leaves aside for a chiffonade garnish. Finely zest 1/2 a lemon and set the lemon zest aside.
Assemble the bake
In a baking dish, add the cherry tomatoes, the minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Toss until the tomatoes look glossy, then nestle the block feta cheese in the center and leave it whole.
Bake until bubbling
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst, the feta is soft enough to mash with the back of a spoon, and the juices are bubbling around the edges.
Boil the pasta
While the feta bakes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve 0.2 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta without rinsing.
Toss and serve
Use a spoon to mash the tomatoes and feta together into a creamy sauce, then add the drained pasta, the chopped basil, and the lemon zest. Splash in the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce loosens and clings to every piece, then taste and adjust with more salt or black pepper if needed. Finish with the reserved basil, sliced into a chiffonade, and serve hot.
