Once Again, Super Lemony Orzo with Feta

August 9, 2017

For this Wine & Dine Wednesday I thought I would look back on an old favorite, Super Lemony Orzo with Feta. I first wrote about this in August of 2011, when we spent the week on the North Fork of Long Island after we got married in Nyack, New York. The recipe made it into my book too, but it has been several years since I have made it. This week-end TPS requested it. It was like visiting an old friend, which I think tried & true recipes often feel like. Below is part of the post I wrote back then. Only thing different, I used the zest of 5 lemons instead of two, so it was even more lemony. Enjoy!

I make the vinaigrette first. Combine the zest of 2 lemons with a cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice (fresh is the only way to go on this, as it is such a major component of the dish) and a cup of the best olive oil you have (like the fresh lemon juice, using top notch extra virgin olive oil is key, because these 2 ingredients really make this sing) along with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Whisk all together and set aside. Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook 16 ounces of orzo pasta till it is al dente. Again, al dente is key. Once done, drain and immediately put the pasta into a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, add the lemon & olive oil mixture. With a fork, fluff till all the liquid is incorporated into the pasta. Side note-this is the perfect time to have a few bites. Let the pasta sit to cool, and absorb all of that lemony goodness. It is that easy.

Once the pasta has cooled, I add the feta. I usually like to cube a good amount of Greek feta, but the humidity last night was crazy off the charts, it started to break apart as I unwrapped the cheese, so I just crumbled it in. Like I said earlier, this pasta is great for adding or subtracting things. Since our guest was a vegetarian, I added edamame so she would get a bit more protein, in addition to the feta. I also like to thinly slice a lemon, and add those to the dish. This pasta works great next to chicken or fish, and gets better with age, so is still yummy a few days after you make it.