Baked feta and cherry tomatoes

This easy baked feta recipe is ready in 30 mins.  Packed with nutrients that may help reduce your risk of breast cancer.

Prep: 5 mins Cook in 30 mins.

Serves 4

Ingredients

50ml (3 tbsp) olive oil

250g cherry tomatoes

250g baby plum tomatoes

200g block of feta

2 garlic cloves (more if you love garlic) – minced

½ tsp dried oregano

300g of your favourite wholemeal pasta

Dried chilli flakes (optional) – a pinch is enough but if you like it fiery add a few more

A handful of basil leaves to dress the dish at the end

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C upper and lower heat/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
2. Place the cherry tomatoes and baby plum tomatoes into a large ovenproof dish (where possible, avoid using non-stick cookware). Drizzle over most of olive oil and season with a pinch of black pepper. Make sure they are fully coated by tossing them with your hands.
3. Place the whole block of feta in the middle of the dish, surrounded by the tomatoes. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil and some black pepper. Slide into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
4. While the feta and tomatoes bake, fill a large pot with water and add a pinch of salt. Set on a high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and set to one side.
5. When the tomatoes and feta have baked for 25 minutes, take out of the oven, and use a fork to crush the feta and tomatoes and muddle them together. Add the chopped garlic, oregano and a pinch of chilli flakes, if you’re using them. Stir to mix. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until the feta and tomatoes have caramelised a little and the garlic is cooked (softened not burnt).
6. Remove the cooked tomatoes and feta from the oven, and add the drained pasta. Mix gently to coat the pasta.
7. Serve the pasta garnished with a few basil leaves and drizzled with a little extra olive oil.

Optional:  serve with a nice chunky piece of wholemeal bread and use it to soak up the juices, yum!

Why this is good for you

Wholemeal pasta has a higher fibre content than durum wheat (white) pasta and can help you achieve the 30g fibre/day recommended by the British Nutrition Foundation. More and more studies show that a fibre diet can help reduce breast cancer risk.

Tomatoes are rich in the carotenoid lycopene. Carotenoids are substances found in fruit and vegs responsible for their bright colours and have also been linked with a reduced breast cancer risk, especially when you eat lots of them. Lycopene is fat-soluble, so olive oil will help with its absorption.