Balsamic Orzo Pasta

I love this recipe. It's always been a hit, the flavors are subtly Mediterranean, but well rounded. I'm sure you'll love it also. Please- make sure and allow time for the orzo to truly absorb the dressing before adding the other ingredients. It creates a much nicer finished salad.

If you are not familiar with Balsamic vinegar, this is a great introduction. It has an amazing depth of flavor, and a wide variety of uses in the kitchen. Everything from marinade for grilled chicken, a bold salad dressing, to reducing it down to a glaze, or even using (reduced) over ice cream!

If you are near a sprouts-you'll probably want to get your pine nuts there. You can find them in the "bulk section". This is nice because 1.- you can buy the amount you need, and not extra- if this is a new, or not often used ingredient for you. Toasting nuts is done to improve the flavor. When you toast a nut or seed, the oils are released and brought to the surface. Most of the flavor is in the oil- so it intensifies the experience- without adding extra product. The best way to toast a nut is in a small dry (no oil) saute pan. Please watch your pan VERY closely. This is one of those items you never walk away from. At first it will look like nothing is happening, and then as you jiggle, or stir the pan, all the sudden the nuts will start looking toasted.....the path from lovely and toasted- to burnt- is only about 90 seconds!

1 pound Orzo pasta (that's the tiny little football shaped pasta)

2/3 c. olive oil

2/3 c. Balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts

6 oz feta cheese

3/4 c fresh basil - chiffonade

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, small chopped

1/2 c fresh spinach, cut into strips, or torn into small pieces

1/2 med red onion- small chopped

1/2 med sized red bell pepper - peeled and small chopped

Bring a LARGE pot of water to a boil. You want your pasta to be able to move very freely in the water as it cooks. Salt very generously. Pasta can only absorb salt though the cooking water. So you want your water to taste like the ocean. Cook orzo uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. While pasta is boiling, toast pine nuts to a golden brown. Prep all the vegetables. Set aside. In a large bowl- combine oil and vinegar. Drain orzo pasta well. Add to oil and vinegar and toss to coat. Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes. Toss in remaining ingredients. Can be served room temp or chilled. Taste best (in my opinion) if allowed to sit, in the fridge for about an hour, then served- room temp or slightly chilled.

Serves 10

Enjoy!!!!