Baked Orzo with Summer Vegetables
As the summer comes to an end the farmers' markets are full of eggplants, peppers, zucchini and tomatoes. That reminds me it is ratatouille time! Making ratatouille used to be a weekend
project until I found the following recipe. This dish is ratatouille with pasta all in one pan, which
is so much easier. It's adapted from the cookbook Greece by Vefa Alexiadou. Yes, there is a fairamount of chopping here but it makes enough for a couple meals. You can serve this as avegetarian entrée with a green salad or as a side dish.
Photo by Claudia Alexander
Makes 2 quarts
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant diced into ¾” bites (2 ½-3 cups)
2 zucchinis cut in half lengthwise then diced
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion
2 bell peppers
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 28oz. can tomatoes
8 oz. orzo pasta
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup Pecorino Romano
Directions:
Place the eggplant and the zucchini in separate colanders and sprinkle with salt.
Preheat the oven to 350°
Into a hot Dutch oven or other ovenproof pan with a lid, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, onion,
bell peppers, garlic, and a pinch or two of salt and a grind or 3 of pepper. Cook until tender,
about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the garlic starts to burn, turn down the heat. Drain
the eggplant and zucchini and add to the pan; stir to combine. Continue to cook for about 10
minutes, or until the vegetables start to brown. In another saucepan over medium heat add the
remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the uncooked orzo. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the
pasta to the vegetable mixture along with the tomatoes and the water. Stir to combine.
Sprinkle the cheese on top, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Photo by Claudia Alexander