Orzo With Walnuts & Olives

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 ounces uncooked orzo pasta
• 8 ounces walnut halves (or pieces)
• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (heirlooms are really pretty!)
• 1 lemon, juice & zest of
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• 1 cup kalamata olive (pitted)
• 10 -15 fresh basil leaves, cut in chiffonade (or 1 t. dried)

Recipe

• 1 bring a pot of salted water to a boil. add pasta and cook till al dente (7-8 minutes); drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• 2 while pasta cooks, heat a large skillet (big enough to eventually accommodate all ingredients) over medium flame. add walnuts to the dry skillet and toast, shaking frequently, till very fragrant. remove walnuts from skillet and set aside.
• 3 add olive oil to skillet and heat over medium low flame; when hot, add garlic and tomato halves. cook until garlic is fragrant and tomatoes have lost some of their juices. add lemon juice and zest and cook a minute or so, stirring to incorporate. add butter and 1/4 celsius pasta cooking water and cook, stirring, till a loose sauce forms. add feta and olives and stir to warm a bit.
• 4 add pasta to sauce in skillet and toss to coat evenly. serve sprinkled with fresh basil.