Olives + Orzo… What More Do You Need?!

One thing you should know about me is that I love orzo and I will find any excuse to cook with it! If you've never had orzo, shame on you, but it is a small rice - shaped pasta that cooks quickly and is great for a lot of dishes.

Having lived in Milan for 3 months a lot of the dishes I made at home consisted of mozzarella, pasta and olives. Sounds kind of plain but the pasta in Milan was so rich in flavor and the fresh mozzarella and olives were a perfect compliment to the pasta. So I stumbled upon this recipe on Bloglovin and the dish was so abundant in color and reminiscent of my meals in Milan that I  had to give it a go…

:INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 whole Lemon (juiced)

1 clove Garlic (Minced)

Salt and Pepper 

12 oz Orzo Pasta

1 cup Red Grape Tomatoes

1 cup Yellow Grape Tomatoes

1 cup Kalamata Olives

1 cup Chickpeas

1/4 of a Red Onion

2 TBSP Fresh Parsley
1 cup Crumbled Feta

:ASSEMBLY:

1. Bring the water to a boil and throw the orzo in. Usually cooks within 8-10 minutes.Drain it then set it aside.

2.Use a cutting board to dice the tomatoes, olives, onions and parsley into small pieces. 

3. Open the chickpeas and drain all the water then set to the side until you combine all the ingredients. 

4. In a jar combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt/pepper and garlic. Shake until well combined. 

5. In a LARGE bowl toss in the orzo and all of the ingredients. Then evenly drizzle the dressing over the mixture and combine until it is evenly distributed. 

6. I like to add the Feta cheese last so that it stays fresh and doesn't get too soggy. 

7. Lastly add salt and pepper to taste but because the olives are already pretty salty, add cautiously!

The end result is a delicious, vibrant and fresh salad. It's nearly effortless to make and it's great to pack for a smart lunch!