Pasta with Cherry Tomato and Fennel Confit + Whipped Feta
Ingredients
For the Confit (makes about 1 L)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, whole
3 heads of garlic, peeled and left whole
1 medium fennel, core removed, bulb thinly sliced, stems and fronds removed (save for later use)
About 2 cups olive oil
3 sprigs of thyme (optional)
¼ tsp salt
For the whipped feta (Makes about 1.5 cups)
200g feta, crumbled
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon
A few cracks of fresh pepper
Salt (optional) I didn’t add any because my feta was already salty
For the pasta
250g pasta (any type, I used spaghettini), cooked
2 cups packed arugula
2 cups confit vegetables, drained from the oil (reserve the oil for later use)
75g whipped feta
½ tsp salt
A few cracks of fresh pepper
Preparation
For the Confit (makes about 1 L)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add all ingredients (cherry tomatoes, sliced fennel, whole garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and salt to a baking dish. Use one big enough so all ingredients can lay flat but still touch each other.
Start pouring olive oil over vegetables until the oil is about a bit more than halfway to the top of the cherry tomatoes. For me, this took about 2 cups but it will depend on the dish, tomatoes, etc.
Place dish in the oven and bake for 1 hour, Occasionally moving everything around with a spoon so the oil gets on top of all the vegetables.
Remove and let cool. Store in a jar, refrigerated, for about 4 weeks.
For this recipe I would recommend allowing the flavours to blend for a few days before trying this pasta but the confit can be used right away if needed.
For the whipped feta
In a food processor, add all ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.
For the pasta
Cook your pasta according to package directions. Once finished, on low heat on the stovetop, fold in the strained confit vegetables. Add salt and pepper. Gently fold in the arugula and remove from heat.
To serve, top with whipped feta and drizzle with a little confit oil.
Enjoy!