Baked Tomato & Feta Rice

for  6

• 5 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1½ cups brown rice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano, plus leaves for garnish
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 (6-ounce) block feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 
2. Lightly coat a broiler-safe 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Combine 5 cups tomatoes, 1½ cups rice, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon oregano and ½ teaspoon each ground pepper, crushed red pepper (if using) and salt in the prepared dish. 
4. Carefully pour in 3 cups boiling water; stir until the mixture is well combined and the rice is fully submerged. 
5. Nestle 1 (6-ounce) block feta in the center of the mixture. 
6. Tightly cover the dish with foil. 
7. Bake, undisturbed, until the rice is tender and the tomatoes are soft, about 1 hour.
8.  Remove the foil and continue baking until the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes more.
9. Increase oven temperature to broil. 
10. Broil until the feta is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. 
11. Remove from oven and stir until the feta is broken into small pieces throughout the rice mixture. 
12. Garnish with oregano, if desired.