15fresh basil leaves, minced or 1 teaspoon dried basil
Toast pignolis:
1
Place nuts in a saute pan and cook over medium heat for 4 Minutes, stirring often, until evenly browned. Set aside and cool.
Prepare the vegetables:
2
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3
On a large baking sheet, toss eggplant, peppers, onion and garlic with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Roast, uncovered for 40 Minutes, tossing once after 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
4
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the orzo. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3 quart pot. Add the orzo and cook 8 or 9 minutes, until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
5
Add the roasted vegetables and all the juices that have accumulated in the pan.
6
Whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined. Pour dressing over the pasta and vegetables and allow to cool to room temperature, (At this point you may refrigerate the salad if you will not be serving immediately. Remove the salad from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before continuing) Add the pignolis, scallions, feta and basil and toss. Serve.
Ingredients
For the salad:
1small eggplant, peeled and diced into 1" cubes
1red bell pepper, diced into 1" cubes
1yellow bell pepper, diced into 1" cubes
1red onion, diced into 1" cubes
2cloves garlic, crushed
⅓cupolive oil
1 ½tspkosher salt
½tspfreshly ground black pepper
½lborzo
For the dressing:
⅓cupfresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
⅓cupextra virgin olive oil
1tspkosher salt
½tspfreshly ground black pepper
To assemble:
4scallions, minced
¼cuppignolis (pine nuts)
¾lbfeta cheese
15fresh basil leaves, minced or 1 teaspoon dried basil
Directions
Toast pignolis:
1
Place nuts in a saute pan and cook over medium heat for 4 Minutes, stirring often, until evenly browned. Set aside and cool.
Prepare the vegetables:
2
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3
On a large baking sheet, toss eggplant, peppers, onion and garlic with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Roast, uncovered for 40 Minutes, tossing once after 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
4
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the orzo. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3 quart pot. Add the orzo and cook 8 or 9 minutes, until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
5
Add the roasted vegetables and all the juices that have accumulated in the pan.
6
Whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined. Pour dressing over the pasta and vegetables and allow to cool to room temperature, (At this point you may refrigerate the salad if you will not be serving immediately. Remove the salad from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before continuing) Add the pignolis, scallions, feta and basil and toss. Serve.
