Orzo is a pasta, shaped a bit like a long fat grain of rice. It makes a great alternative to rice, cooks in half the time, and is delicious hot, cold or at room temperature. It’s useful for entertaining because it will slot right in with whatever schedule you’re working to.
It’s delicious as dinner in its own right, but it’s also the perfect dish for turning left over roast chicken into a feast.
Ingredients (serves 4 – 6 as a main dish, 6 – 8 as a side dish)
400g orzo (my boxes are 450 so I use a whole box)
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large lemon or 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
generous 1/2 cup of diced feta cheese
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Salt it and add the orzo. Cook for 1 minute less than the box instructions so that it is al dente.
- Drain, then tip the orzo back into the warm pan.
- Pour over something in the region of 4 tbsps of olive oil
- Zest half the lemon over the top and squeeze in the juice
- Mix in the feta, halved cherry tomatoes, olives and oregano
- Grind over some black pepper