Oven-baked pasta with garlic, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy feta in a Mediterranean style.
# Ingredients:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt, for boiling water
→ Vegetables and Aromatics
04 - 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 3.5 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
08 - 3.5 ounces baby spinach
→ Sauce and Cheese
09 - 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
13 - 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
14 - 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil
17 - Lemon wedges (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a large baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and toss with olive oil.
03 - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté the red onion for 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, diced red bell pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in canned tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, and chili flakes if using. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
05 - Add baby spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta with the sauce and half of the crumbled feta cheese. Mix thoroughly.
07 - Transfer the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining feta and grated Parmesan evenly on top.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil, and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
