Orzo (from Latin hordeum) is Italian and means "barley" but in common usage in the United States, orzo is understood to mean rice-shaped pasta, slightly smaller than a pine nut its rice shape, orzo is not made out of rice but of hard wheat semolina. This type of pasta is incorporated in many delicious recipes and this one is yet another salad kind of dish from Giada's Everyday Italian aired on foodtv.
I am so in love with her recipes which are simple, quick and easy to prepare. I made few variations like using fresh methi sprouts (the first pair of leaves from fenugreek seeds) instead of baby Arugula to match the nutty bitter taste. I used sweetened dried cranberries instead of dried cherries as her recipe suggests. And here is a salad meal which leaves our taste buds dance to the tunes of Amit Paul-Indian Idol 3.
I am sure those who devotedly follow II-3 will know whom I am referring too. This guy rocked my heart specially while singing "Nasha yeh pyar ka nasha hain" and "Pehla Nasha" the romantic numbers of Aamir Khan (my favo). Check this also. Amit Paul is coincidentally an AK fan and from Shillong and is a versatile and completely mind blowing singer and I hope he wins the title. f you want more info on Amit check here and lastly don't forget to check what Javed Akhtar comments. All the best Amit, you rock! If you want more info check these Bloglinks for Indian Idol 3 click here and here.
Now back to pavilion, here is the recipe:
Orzo with lemon, feta, dried cranberries, basil and methi sprouts
Source: Adapted from Giada's Everyday Italian Cuisine: Italian
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Makes: 2 people
Ingredients:
1 cup of orzo pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup of fresh methi sprouts
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries
7 fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tbsps pine nuts, toasted 2 tbsps lemon juice
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet.
- Drizzle the pasta with a tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.
- Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine and serve with your favorite lunch or dinner menu.
