Barefoot Contessa Orzo With Roasted Vegetables

Amarante

Wed, Feb 10 2021, 2:14 pm

As usual Barefoot Contessa comes through with a delicious and easy to make dish for the home cook. This was very good and completely make ahead.

It would make a great dish for Shabbos lunch since taste improves when made ahead and is served at room temperature. This type of dish would be expensive gourmet take out. and is probably much healthier since there isn't ordinate amounts of oil. You could probably use less than 1/3 cup oil to roast vegetables if you wanted to decrease fat and calories Smile

Barefoot Contessa Orzo With Roasted Vegetables

Very easy to make in larger quantity if necessary and even if not feeding a crowd the leftovers are a wonderful relatively healthy nosh to have in the refrigerator.

Barefoot Contessa Orzo With Roasted Vegetables

Excerpt From: Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa Parties!

SERVES 6

This recipe is a variation of a wonderful dish invented by Sarah Leah Chase for her specialty food store in Nantucket, Que Sera Sarah. All these vegetables ripen at the same time and they’re readily available, so you can make enough to feed a crowd. Add the dressing when the orzo is still warm so it absorbs into the pasta. This dish is even better made in advance; just check the seasonings and add the pine nuts, feta, and basil leaves at the last minute.

1 small eggplant, peeled and ¾-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup good olive oil
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ pound orzo

FOR THE DRESSING

⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
⅓ cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

TO ASSEMBLE

4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
¼ cup pignolis, toasted (see this page)
¾ pound good feta, ½-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.