I saw this recipe on a blog I was reading a while back (can't remember which one) and decided to look up the recipe and try it. This is an Ina Garten recipe and I just altered a few things. A lot of her recipes are a bit complex but this one was quite simple and delicious! Also, I doubled the recipe so I would have enough to take for a few lunches this week. You can find the original recipe here.
Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound orzo pasta
For the dressing:
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Topping:
Feta Cheese, 1/2-inch diced (as much or as little as you want)
fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne
*I kept these toppings chopped and in containers in the fridge to add to the pasta each time we ate some so they would not get soggy from the dressing.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. 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 (I reserved a little dressing to add later to freshen it up). Let cool to room temperature, then add the feta and basil. Serve at room temperature or serve cold the next day.
I forgot to take a picture of the pasta after it was finished so I found one online...
Enjoy!
