I had to sit my mother down the other day and explain to her that taking Tuesday nights’ leftovers and mixing them with Wednesday nights’ does not create a new meal for Thursday night. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had salad with rice, beans, chicken and salmon when I was younger. She told me that it’s what they use to do in Belgium where she grew up. I’m becoming weary of my mom’s compulsive lying. Was she really an Opera singer who gave up a life with Johnny Holliday to marry my father and have 5 kids or was she just another Eastern European gypsy looking for a meal ticket to America?
I did inherit a lot of great qualities from my mom. My incredible looks, the capacity to eat until the minute I fall asleep, my creativity, kindness, humor and the ability to put anything about to expire from the fridge into a blender and call it soup.
I came up with this dish after I had made a salad and some orzo. I had no idea what sauce to use with the orzo so I just combined the two and it is truly amazing. So thanks to you mom.
Recipe: Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8oz Uncooked Orzo (half a box)
- 8oz Ciabatta Bread (half a loaf)
- 1 Roasted Red Pepper (roast it yourself or from a jar) – chopped
- 1 Pint Grape Tomatoes – sliced in half
- 4oz Pitted Kalamata Olives – chopped
- 2 Cloves of Garlic – minced
- 1/4-Cup Pine Nuts
- 1 Pound Fresh Mozzarella (1 ball) – cubed
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil, add the Orzo and cook as directed. Slice the bread into half and drizzle some olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set under the broiler for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Let it rest for a few minutes. Once the Orzo is fully cooked, strain and rinse it under cold water to cool it down. Let it drain and add it to a bowl. Combine the red pepper, grape tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, Kalamata olives, garlic, pine nuts, salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar. Mix until everything is completely blended. By now the toasted bread has cooled, so chop it into little cubes or rip it apart with your hands for a more rustic feel. Toss with the pasta mixture and serve. You can make this way ahead of time. The longer it sits the better it will taste. Feel free to add more vinegar if you want.
Number of servings (yield): 12
Meal type: snack
Orzo Salad
Funny story…. Its looks amazing!!
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