Compiled by Kara Petrovic // Spring 2010
Baked “Feta”ccine
From the kitchen of Ryan C. Bryant (B.A. ’03)
“My love of cheese is beyond compare,” Bryant says. “I ate an entire package of feta in front of some friends one day as a dare, to prove how much I love it. Much to their dismay, I ate the whole thing! So I decided to create a dish around the cheese, that was not too overpowering, and perfect in flavor. Hence, Baked ‘Feta’ccine.”
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound fettuccine
1 16-ounce jar tomato and basil marinara sauce
½ pound crumbled sweet Italian sausage
1 8-ounce container crumbled feta cheese
1 8-ounce container shredded mozzarella
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, about 8 to 10 minutes; prepare pasta al dente.
3. As pasta cooks, heat marinara sauce on medium heat and brown the crumbled Italian sausage. (To ensure proper cooked meat, cook the sausage to 165 degrees). Keep meat warm until all other items are cooked thoroughly.
4. Drain pasta and place items in a large mixing bowl along with the crumbled feta. Using a spatula, mix items together. Place mixture into a large pyrex pan leaving about a half inch of free space from the top of the pan. Cover with a small layer of mozzarella cheese on top.
5. Bake until cheese is melted and golden, about 20-25 minutes. For an added effect of color, add dried basil, garlic, salt and pepper to the top of the cheese prior to serving.