Onebyone

Even the tv chefs are showing this recipe now. It has half a million views on one site, that is a big deal to those that keep up with that. It uses the block of feta baked with cherry tomatoes and olive oil, cooked pasta is added along with fresh basil. Yes it is delicious and very simple to make. The only problem is finding the block of feta. Not the crumbled. Every store is out of it around here. Everyone is making this especially the young adults.

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a35421563/baked-feta-pasta-tiktok/

https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/how-to-tiktok-baked-feta-pasta-recipe-developer-tips


The original doesn't call for the garlic or shallots only cheese, tomatoes and olive oil..

My grandmother made this once a week for years. She used garden tomatoes, fresh or frozen from her garden, goat cheese and I guess olive oil, could have been bacon grease knowing her. She added cooked elbow macaroni to it with fresh herbs, whatever she had. I made hundreds of times for a fast dinner. I have used goat cheese, whole feta, and even cream cheese. I can imagine the Italian cooks are saying what? this recipe is ancient. LOL

SusieQOH

I love feta but that looks like an awful lot (salty). I love love love goat cheese!
That recipe looks good though.

Onebyone

The sheep milk feta is much better then cow's milk feta, doesn't taste as tart.. It's hard to find in my area though. I use goat's milk cheese the most and do add a lot of pasta.

Iceblossom

We've started baking Panela cheese, The panela is quite mild so it takes a marinade and seasonings well. It's sort of weird to me how it doesn't melt, but I've been enjoying grilled cheese

Onebyone

A caterer I know told me she uses mascarpone cheese for most all her creamy pasta dishes. She said feta is too sharp to please everyone's taste but all like the mascarpone. My husband said but a block of Velvetta instead of the feta and he would love it. LOL

SusieQOH

My husband makes pasta with marinara and puts in those little mozzarella balls.They melt a little when tossed.Adds fresh basil right before serving. Omg it's to die for. We had it in Hawaii, of all places and he's been making it ever since. There isn't a pasta or cheese I don't love lol

Onebyone- your grandmother's recipe sounds delicious,
Yes, I was thinking that about feta, although I do love it, that recipe calls for a lot.

toverly

So funny, that recipe popped up on my Facebook feed and I printed it. Glad to know that it's good. How could carbs and cheese not be good?

Anniedeb

Sounds interesting, but I would definitely have to find a substitute for the Feta. Feta and blue cheese are two that I just cannot eat!

Iceblossom

Annie -- try the Panela. It is easily available if your store carries any of the Hispanic cheeses, like the Cacique brand. I'm actually able to find it pretty often in the markdown section of my market, but that's usually the sliced bigger portions than the pre-packaged.

I had made a big batch of Salsa Verde (tomatillos and green chiles) for pork and used the extra to marinate the cheese and bake it all into a yummy batch of goodness. Because of our low carb life style, we used romain lettuce spears as what we call a "vehicle" instead of something like tortilla chips but it would have been awesome with chips... So awesome...

Here's a differently seasoned recipe:
https://mexicanmademeatless.com/bake...our-socks-off/

If you do any meatless meals, this is a pretty satisfying protein option.

Iceblossom

I was remembering why I made the Salsa Verde -- I had half a jar of the minced Hatch Chilis from Costco. Even though it was a half Costco jar, it made a full batch of this recipe:
https://www.505southwestern.com/reci...en-chile-verde

The tomatillos are in every market here, they are a reasonably priced thing and easy to deal with. I do think it is important to roast/char them in some way. I guess you get used to the raw taste if that is how you use them.

PS/Edit: We really like this product. We saw it and said "why not" and now it is a regular staple in our house. While the hubby is largely "ketovore" he does like, eat and appreciates peppers.