DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place the feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes, drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the garlic has softened and the tomatoes begin to burst.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining.
While the pasta cooks, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
Remove the tomatoes and feta from the oven and add the calabrian chiles. Using a fork or a potato masher, smash the tomatoes and feta into a creamy sauce. Add the pasta, lamb and lemon zest and toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add in some of the pasta cooking liquid to loosen things up.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with fresh basil. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground American Lamb
2 pints cherry tomatoes
6 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus 1 tablespoon, divided)
7-8 ounce block feta cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped calabrian chiles or calabrian chile paste
12 ounces pasta (orecchiette, rigatoni, ziti, etc)
Zest of 1 lemon
Fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
