The Feta Pasta Trend: How did this happen? ๐คฏ
If you haven't heard of the feta cheese pasta trend yet... where have you been, mate? This recipe trend exploded on social media a few months ago and anyone who cooks has been trying this out and sharing their results online (including me!). People have been making their own version of this recipe, adding different herbs and spices, making it vegan, using rice or noodles, trying a different cheese, and so on. ๐ง
So what does it entail?
To be quite honest with you, I was quite skeptical of this at first, but I was stuck at home and I wanted to try something new. I had all of the ingredients I needed at home so I just figured, why not try this out? It turned out to be absolutely amazing. ๐คค
The original recipe calls for the following ingredients:
- 450g pasta
- a block of feta cheese (approx. 200g)
- ยฝ cup of olive oil
- 500g cherry tomatoes
- ยฝ red chilli pepper
- 4 garlic cloves (optional)
- salt and pepper
- fresh basil
The method is super simple: ๐คท
- Put all of the ingredients (except for the pasta) in a dish and bake at 200ยฐC for 15 minutes.
- Turn up the heat to 225ยฐC and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Cook the pasta separately and then mix everything together in the dish.
Et voila! Your feta pasta is ready to be served. There are a bunch of variations on TikTok - most of them exclude the chilli and include oregano for a more Mediterranean vibe. Some also mention keeping the temperature steady at 200ยฐC and baking for around 30 minutes (which is what I did) instead of varying the temperature. My advice: just have fun with it! ๐
How and why did it break the internet?
This recipe seemed to have gone viral more than once. Finnish food blogger Jenni Hรคyrinen is the brains behind this trend. The recipe went viral in Finland when she originally posted it on her blog back in 2019 - supermarkets were running out of feta cheese for food's sake! Another Finnish blogger had posted a pasta recipe using baked feta and tomatoes back in 2018 too, but it's not exactly the same. Whoever the original creator of the recipe is, we know we have Finland to thank! ๐
In 2020, Grilled Cheese Social shared the recipe and made it viral once again in the United States. In February 2021, they posted a TikTok video of the recipe and it went viral for a THIRD time, but this time, globally! ๐คฉ
There are a number of reasons that could have contributed to the love that this recipe has received. First and foremost: feta cheese. That's already a good enough reason. This crumbly, salty, cheese is a delicious comfort food that is loved by many. Its flavour profile is complex and when it's cooked, it has a different taste altogether. ๐
Another reason may be that the recipe is SUPER simple. You can make it in 30 minutes and you won't dirty up too many dishes - just one pot and one pan. The third and obvious reason is that it tastes amazing. It's creamy, slightly acidic, fresh, and it has a bit of a kick from the chilli pepper and garlic. Who doesn't love a recipe that is simple, clean, and delicious? ๐
Try this out for yourself to see how amazing it is. Get creative and give it your own twist. Just don't forget to show us your creations by tagging us in your posts or stories using @foodblog.mt! ๐งก
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