Ingredients:

  • & Freshly Ground Black Pepper (To taste)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Place tomatoes, peppers, onion, and zucchini into a 9x13 inch oven-safe baking dish. Drizzle generously with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat everything evenly.
  3. Create a space in the centre of the vegetables and place the block of feta cheese there. Drizzle the feta with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with the minced garlic.
  4. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes. The feta should be soft, slightly golden, and the tomatoes should be bursting.
  5. While the dish bakes, cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Crucially: Reserve about 1 cup (240ml) of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
  6. Remove the hot baking dish from the oven. Vigorously mash the feta and burst tomatoes together right in the dish, mixing them thoroughly with the roasted vegetables until a creamy, rustic sauce forms.
  7. Drain the pasta and immediately add it directly into the baking dish with the feta-vegetable mixture.
  8. Toss everything together. Add splashes of the reserved hot pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce beautifully coats every piece of pasta.
  9. Stir in the fresh basil and lemon zest (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately, straight from the baking dish.