About this dish

• Serves: 8-10 as a side dish
• Time: 30 minutes total
  • 20 minutes cook the pasta
  • Most of the rest can occur during that time
• Method: range top cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 small (8-oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
  • can substitute with dried sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted for at least 24 hours in 1/2 C olive oil
• 1 jar (12 oz) pitted Kalmata olives
• 1/2 lb orzo (rice/seed-shaped), farfale (bow-ties), or other small pasta (not macaroni, shells, tubes, or other shapes that would get “filled” with the dressing)
• 1/2-3/4 C grated pecoriono romano cheese
  • substitute with parmesan, but the flavor will change
• Basil, salt, pepper to taste

NB: we currently source everything from Trader Joe’s

Equipment

• Food processor (or a LOT of patience with a knife)
• Bowl

Instructions

Cook the pasta and drain.

Drain the olives and quarter them lengthwise

Chop the tomatoes (with their oil) in a food processor until still coarse but no long ‘strips’ remain.

Combine the pasta, tomatoes, olives, and cheese. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

At this point, the salad can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Chiffonade some basil (5-6 small leaves, fewer if large) and fold in gently, preferably just before serving (or at least when the salad is cold, not warm).