Ingredients:

  • 25 lbs Cherry Tomatoes (on the vine preferred)
  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus more for serving)
  • 6 large cloves Garlic, roughly minced or sliced
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (Chilli Flakes)
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper, freshly cracked
  • 12 oz Orecchiette Pasta
  • 6 oz Feta Cheese, block form, crumbled
  • 1 medium Lemon (zest and juice)
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Basil, roughly torn
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Place the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper directly into a large, rimmed roasting pan. Toss well to ensure all tomatoes are lightly coated.
  3. Place the pan in the preheated oven and roast for 20–25 minutes. The tomatoes should have softened significantly, many should be split and 'burst'.
  4. Around 10 minutes into the roasting process, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the orecchiette and cook according to package directions until perfectly al dente (usually 8-10 minutes).
  5. Just before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup (240ml) of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta immediately.
  6. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, gently press down on the majority of the burst tomatoes to release their juices fully into the olive oil base.
  7. Add the crumbled feta cheese and the zest of the entire lemon directly into the hot tomato mixture in the roasting pan. Stir briefly to begin melting the feta.
  8. Add the drained pasta and about 1/2 cup (120ml) of the reserved pasta water to the roasting pan. Toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes. The combination of starchy water, oil, tomato juices, and melted feta should create a creamy, luxurious sauce. Add more pasta water if the sauce looks too dry.
  9. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the pasta. Add the torn basil and chopped parsley. Toss one final time.
  10. Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of fresh olive oil and a final grind of black pepper, if desired.