Roasted Tomato and Garlic Feta Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 pints (600 g) cherry tomatoes600 g
• 8 cloves8 clovesgarlic, cloves left on
• 1/4 cup60 mlolive oil
• 1 tsp5 gflaky salt
• 1/2 tsp3 gblack pepper
• 1 tsp2 gdried oregano

• 12 oz340 gspaghetti or bucatini
• 6 oz170 gfeta, crumbled
• 1/2 cup30 ggrated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup120 mlpasta water, reserved
• 1/4 cup15 mlfresh basil, torn
• 1/2 tsp1 gred pepper flakes

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the tomatoes and whole garlic cloves with the oil, salt, pepper and oregano on a rimmed sheet pan.
2. Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and the garlic is soft and golden. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins.
3. Cook the pasta in well-salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) pasta water before draining.
4. In a wide pan, combine the roasted tomatoes, their juices, the squeezed garlic and the red pepper flakes over medium heat and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the pasta and 1/2 cup (120 ml) pasta water and toss until the sauce turns glossy and clings.
6. Off the heat, add the feta, Parmesan and a splash more pasta water. Toss hard until creamy.
7. Finish with torn basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Chef's notes

• Salt the tomatoes before roasting, not after: they roast evenly and taste sweeter.
• The pasta water is the emulsifier. Without it the sauce slides off the noodles.
• Roast a double batch of garlic and freeze it in ice cubes for soups.