This Baked Feta Pasta Uses Asparagus and Lemon for a Perfect Spring Twist
Now that you have mastered the viral feta pasta trend, it's time to shake it up for spring! As the weather shifts, there are amazing early spring vegetables that are probably hitting the markets near you. If you have been loving the tomato version of the baked feta pasta, you can adapt that technique to create some amazing seasonal dishes with the same ease, and bright light flavors.
Jenni Häyrinen, a food stylist in Finland, put her springy twist on the baked feta trend with fresh asparagus, lemon, honey and mint and shared it on her Instagram account, @liemessa.
To make her version of the baked feta trend, you'll need just a handful of ingredients:
- A bunch of asparagus
- Flaky salt, such as Maldon (Buy it: $7.99 for 8.5 ounces at World Market)
- A block of your favorite feta
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Black pepper
- Fresh mint leaves to garnish
According to Häyrinen, simply cut off the thick, woody stems of your asparagus, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt. Then, add your block of feta on top, drizzle on a bit more olive oil and garnish with lemon slices. On top of your feta, squeeze a little lemon juice, drizzle some honey and top with freshly cracked black pepper. Bake the whole thing at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then increase your oven temp to 440 and bake for another 10. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.
Not a fan of asparagus? You could try using other spring vegetables such as peas, baby artichokes, fava beans, morel mushrooms, fennel or new potatoes (any would work deliciously with this style of baked dish). Whether you use a single vegetable, or mix it up with a combo like favas, baby artichokes and morels, you will find the recipe endlessly adaptable.
As with the original baked feta dish, you can then add some cooked pasta and toss for a new take on a pasta primavera. Add some freshly chopped spring herbs like parsley, basil, chives, dill or chervil. Or you can toss it together, let cool to room temp and put on a bed of spring mix baby lettuces for a beautiful salad. Mix it up by tossing with cooked rice or other whole grains for a hearty bowl that can be either a plant-based entrée or a perfect accompaniment to any protein from fish to lamb. If you use baby new potatoes in this, you'll get a warm potato salad that will bring the perfect celebration of spring to your early season barbecues.
Once you master this insanely easy technique, your spring cooking will go next level.