These dog days of summer are my favorite. I catch myself really savoring the last bits of intense heat on my bones, knowing full well (in my best Jon Snow voice) winter is coming.
This post is about what so many of my posts are about: pantry staples and languishing produce. I attended a Labor Day party yesterday and volunteered to cook. Not wanting to spend too much on groceries, I looked around and saw a package of orzo, some overly ripe tomatoes, and potted mint on my window sill. I thought about traditional couscous preparation and so I decided to pack up some pine nuts as well.
Cool pasta salads are wonderful because they absorb flavors so well. Sometimes when a dish is hot, you can’t detect the notes and flavors as clearly as when they are cool. Such is the case with this dish. Feel free to slightly chill your (al dente) pasta in the fridge to expedite the cooling, but stir in a touch of EVOO beforehand so it’s not sticky. Bring it back up to room temperature before finishing the dish. Prepare the mint Za’atar dressing just before serving so the mint doesn’t have a chance to turn brown. Slowly stew your tomatoes and really concentrate the juices so they can make the orzo silky.
This dish was a total hit with all ages and I saw the host eating the last spoonful after the dishes had already been cleared.
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Cool Orzo with Stewed Heirloom Tomatoes, Toasted Pine Nuts, and Mint Za’atar Dressing
Prep: 40 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
2 cups Orzo
2 medium Ripe heirloom tomatoes
Handful of Pine nuts
3 T. plus 1T Olive oil
Bunch of fresh mint
1 T. Za’atar
1 T. White wine vinegar or lemon
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Boil Orzo. Set aside to cool. (If refrigerating, add 1T. of EVOO
Stew tomatoes with salt until juices are concentrated but not evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Toast pinenuts.
Make dressing by finally chopping mint and mixing in Za’atar, salt, olive oil, and some white wine vinegar (lemon works well too) to a Mason jar. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place cool Orzo in a serving bowl. Fold in stewed tomatoes, pine nuts, and dressing. Serve immediately.