Baked Feta Tomato Pasta (UuniFetaPasta)

Super easy, healthy, almost no prep needed.

My adaptation of the pasta that took the internet by storm. The recipe, albeit a more complicated version named "Prosecco Spaghetti", was first created by Finnish blogger @tiiupiret in 2018, and then separately in a simpler variation by @liemessa in in 2019, and came to be known as UuniFetaPasta (Uuni = oven). It became so popular in Finland, newspapers were writing about the feta shortage that followed. Then @grilledcheesesocial shared a converted version on her blog in 2020, and it went viral on Instagram and TikTok worldwide. I've modified it by adding some spices (paprika, thyme, oregano) to enrich its mediterranean flavor profile.

The beauty of this dish is how incredibly easy it is to make: throw the ingredients in an oven-safe dish, bake for half an hour (while you go do something else), prep pasta, combine, and you have a lovely dinner (and healthy too!). Best of all, because prep is minimal, so is cleanup. A special note about feta cheese, what to look for, its origins, and where to buy it is included after the recipe below.

🎥 You can watch a quick Instagram video of me making this recipe here.

Ingredients

Serves 1-2 (you can easily scale it up for more)

5 oz cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp all purpose salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (fresh ground for added flavor)
2.5 oz feta cheese (I highly recommend Bulgarian sheep's milk feta in brine, more info below)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili flakes
3 cloves garlic, pressed
3.5 oz pasta (I prefer angel hair, but any will work)
1-2 Tbsp (about 4 medium leaves) fresh basil, hand-torn
Kosher salt and finishing olive oil to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven on convection bake to 400F.
Pour tomatoes whole into a small, shallow, oven-safe pan, pyrex or casserole dish. The tomatoes and feta together should just about cover the bottom of the dish.
Drizzle generously with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. You can use more than the 1/4 cup olive oil specified above if desired. Note: Be careful not to add too much salt; feta cheese comes in many variations and is often quite salty, but you do need a little salt at this step to help break down the tomatoes. You can always add more later.
Place the block of feta cheese in the middle of the dish.
Drizzle the cheese with more olive oil, and sprinkle the tomatoes and cheese with oregano, thyme, paprika, and chili flakes. Save the garlic and basil for after it's baked.
Bake in preheated 400F oven for 30 min.
10 min before the cheese and tomatoes are done baking, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to al-dente. You may want to reserve some pasta water in case the sauce turns out too dry.
Remove from oven, add the pressed garlic and basil while still hot to release their flavors.
Mash and mix the tomatoes and feta to create the sauce.
Add the strained pasta and stir to coat. The slightly undercooked pasta will soak up the sauce and flavors, add some reserved pasta water if needed.
Taste and adjust seasoning; finish with some kosher salt and bold olive oil to taste.
Enjoy!

Recipe Reference

Modified from: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKm1tnhBhda/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

A note about feta cheese

You can find many variations, and you should use the one that you like most, but Bulgarian sheep's milk feta in brine is the best: it's denser, stronger in flavor, saltier, tangier, and creamier. And, fun fact, authentic feta cheese in brine basically never goes bad, doesn't mold, and can always be kept on hand; hence why it was invented in ancient times pre-refrigeration. The cheese will get saltier and tangier over time, but it is safe to eat, and more delicious in my opinion.

Origins and politics

Feta can be made of sheep, goat, or cow milk (or combinations of these), although according to EU regulations, in order to be called "feta" the cheese can only be made of sheep and up to 30% goat milk, and must be produced in Greece.

As a side note: the latter is ridiculous. Even though the Greeks like to take credit for inventing things, and are really good at PR, (I say this with love, I also have Greek family), they didn't actually invent it. Feta cheese originated in Trakia - as in Thracians, an ancient people who are believed by historians to predate the Greeks - a region of Southern Bulgaria. (fwiw: Greeks didn't invent yogurt, or "Greek" salad either, I'll write a separate blog post about those someday, maybe). Rant done.

Where to buy feta

Ethnic food stores will stock the one by ZerGüt, which is the best you can find in the US in my opinion
Rodopa is also great
President feta cheese is more commonly found in grocery stores is also good (it doesn't say Bulgarian on it, but it is)
Belfiore works, though it's not my preference
I don't like the Athenos one, I find it much less flavorful, but it will do in a pinch.

Whatever brand you buy, make sure the feta is not fat free, or it will be flavorless and dry.