Orzo Primavera

I think that Orzo has to be one of the most fun pastas ever invented.  It looks like big grains of rice,and nothing gets lost in it.  It can be frustrating, to me anyway, to create a pasta dish and have the components on the bottom of the pan when the pasta has all been served.  Orzo allows the other ingredients to cuddle right in.  Got to love that!

Spring is here.  I got fresh asparagus for 99 cents a pound and nothing says spring more than that.  When I bought it I knew that Pasta Primavera was not far behind.

In this case, the pasta I used was Orzo.  I took the casserole dish of it over to my daughter, Erin’s, house when she was still on bedrest from having the baby.  This dish is delicate, rich, and creamy and has spring in every single bite.  For  a nice change grill the asparagus rather than steaming it.

Orzo Primavera

• 1 lb orzo
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 lb asparagus, steamed or grilled until crips tender and cut in 3 inch lengths
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves of elephant garlic, one peeled and cut in half and one peeled and sliced thinly
• 3 carrots, peeled and julienned, steamed
• 1 cup pecans or pine nuts, toasted
• 1 cup grated Parmigiana-Reggiano
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1. Bring the cream to a simmer in a saucepan or microwave safe bowl.  Add one elephant garlic clove, cut in half.  Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cook the orzo until tender, drain, add a little oil and set aside.
3. Add the sliced garlic, olive oil, and onions to the pan and cook until the onions are transparent.  Do not allow to brown.  Add the asparagus, the carrots, basil, and the nuts.  Stir carefully to coat with oil.
4. Stir in the orzo and heat through.
5. Just before serving remove the garlic from the cream, pourit in the orzo mixture and stir.
6. Stir in the grated cheese.
7. Allow to heat through, plate it and top with shaved parmesan.  Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Image:MaryeAudet