Summer Pasta Recipe: Elegant Orzo!

I'm not big into posting recipes BUT I really love this pasta and it's a recent discovery that I have to share! It's called elegant orzo salad, and it features orzo pasta, feta cheese, spinach, pine nuts, spices, and cherry tomatoes. I varied the recipe from what I found online - I absolutely recommend it, it's the perfect summer pasta - light and delicious, excellent served warm or cold (usually I eat the leftovers cold). It's also easy to double or cut in half, depending on how many you're cooking for. Check it out and enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ready in: 30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce package of uncooked orzo
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 3/4 cup of pine nuts
• 1 10-ounce bag of baby spinach
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 6-ounce package of crumbled feta cheese
• 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or garlic powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes. Firm or slightly undercooked orzo works best for this dish. Drain, transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. At the same time, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring to blend. Stir in garlic, basil and red pepper flakes, and reduce heat to medium. Stir in pine nuts and cook until lightly browned. Add spinach, and cook on low heat until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add in tomatoes, cook for 1-2 minutes until tomatoes are warm.
3. Toss spinach mixture with orzo pasta, adding in feta cheese and balsamic to taste. Portion onto serving plates, and season with salt as needed. Enjoy!

This recipe is SUPER quick and easy and really delicious. I changed it from the original to add in cherry tomatoes instead of tomato chunks, and letting the tomatoes cook for a minute really brings out the flavor. Also, our Trader Joe's sells a feta cheese package "with spices" added in - if you find anything like that, get it! It just adds more flavor! Finally, you can add more pine nuts and olive oil if you like - in my opinion it tastes just as good with a little bit less, and it makes it healthier!

Bon appetite!

Original recipe: All Recipes, Elegant Orzo with Wilted Spinach and Pine Nuts
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/elegant-orzo-with-wilted-spinach-and-pine-nuts/