Orzo Pasta Salad

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, seperated
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, seperated
• 1 (1 lb) package orzo pasta (small rice shaped noodles)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 vidalia onion, diced in 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced in 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced in 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 quarts water
• salt & pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 heat 2 t olive oil in skillet or dutch oven and sautee onions over medium low heat until they begin to caramalize.
• 2 add peppers to onions and continue to sautee until they are softened and the onions have fully caramalized.
• 3 remove peppers and oinions from heat and set aside.
• 4 in a large pot of boiling water, add orzo and sea salt. cook as directed on package to "al dente". doneness.
• 5 drain pasta and place in a large salad bowl, toss with 1/4 c olive oil.
• 6 add cooked peppers, onion, salt, fresh ground peper. toss to incorporate in the pasta. allow to sit at room temperature 30 miutes for flavors to blend before serving.
• 7 refrigerate overnight for better flavor.
• 8 note: for a main dish adaptation, you could add diced grilled chicken, sliced grilled steak, or grilled shrimp for a variation.