Orzo Pasta with Artichoke Hearts and Roasted Tomatoes

 I love the versatility of orzo pasta, it resembles large grains of rice and can be served alone as a main course, in soups, salads, pilaf style and tossed into casseroles. It’s also easy to serve up and eat, so therefore it’s a good pasta choice to have for a party.

This recipe has a few major components, the important ones being, roasted tomatoes, my beloved artichoke hearts, and creamy parmesan cheese and when combined with the orzo pasta and a couple of other things deliciousness occurs!

 I really don’t know why I don’t cook up orzo pasta more often, I forget how good it is until I make this salad during the summer, which is another great use for it and a perfect dish for entertaining.

 It’s not tomato season here in Chicagoland but this time of year I buy Campari tomatoes, bigger than a cherry tomato with a nice tomatoey flavor and even more so when you roast them like I did.

I was able to find fresh baby artichokes that cooked up nice and tender, which made me very happy.

You could also use frozen and defrosted artichoke hearts squeezed and drained of all liquid as well, but I would never recommend canned, sorry I just don’t like them!

This is a great side dish, I served it with prosciutto wrapped shrimp and it was delicious together but actually this could stand on it’s own or act as a side to just about anything.

You can follow Proud Italian Cook on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Orzo Pasta with Artichoke Hearts and Roasted Tomatoes

 

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Author: Marie

Ingredients

• 8 oz. orzo pasta
• 8 Campari tomatoes, sliced and pre-roasted or double the amount of cherry tomatoes, pre-roasted
• 7 artichoke hearts, preferably fresh and steamed or cooked til tender or frozen and defrosted squeezed of all liquid
• 1 cup of freshly grated parmigiano or romano cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ of a medium onion
• handful of chopped parsley, basil or both
• reserved pasta water
• olive oil

Instructions

1. Pre-roast sliced tomatoes at 400 degrees on parchment drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little oregano until moisture is mostly gone and the sides look wrinkled.
2. Cook orzo al ' dente and before draining reserve a cup of the pasta water.
3. While pasta is boiling take a large saute pan with sides, drizzle the bottom with olive oil.
4. Saute the onion and garlic then add the artichoke hearts, breaking some apart so the leaves can mix well into the pasta.
5. Add half of the pasta water and cheese into the veggie mix, mixing well with a whisking motion to create a sauce.
6. Toss in the cooked orzo pasta and If you need more pasta water add it.
7. Pull pan off the heat and fold in the roasted tomatoes.
8. Toss on chopped herbs, parsley, basil or both.
9. Adjust to your liking adding a drizzle more of olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper or pasta water.
10. Recipe can easily be doubled!

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