In Italian, “orzo” means barley. Originally, these cute little rice-shaped pasta grains were made from barley, but now they’re made from the same thing as most boxed pasta, semolina. I guess this dish is sort of a pasta salad, because you don’t cook the pasta with the raw ingredients, but it’s great served warm or cold. I recommend using sweet grape and/or cherry tomatoes, especially if you can find some in different colors. And the feta/olive/mint flavor combo is a no-brainer accompaniment to lamb.
Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta & Mint
serves 4
3/4 pound small tomatoes, quartered
1/4 pound mixed olives, pitted & chopped
1/4 pound feta, crumbled
1 bunch green onions, white & light green parts only, sliced thin
20-30 leaves fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound orzo, cooked al dente according package directions & drained
In a large bowl, add all ingredients except orzo; stir to combine. Add hot drained orzo and stir. Taste for salt and serve warm or chill 3 hours.
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I had some of the leftovers today. I love the olive/feta combo – really yummy.