Klitharaki

You may be wondering what on earth this post is about. If the title sounds Greek to you, then that's great because it is! My brother-in-law Bennett just graduated from high school and to celebrate, the whole family went out to eat an all Greek restaurant, which has inspired me to experiment with some Greek cuisine. I didn't think I really liked Greek food, but the dinner we had was phenomenal and I am excited to see what new recipes I can make in the near future. One of the side options at the restaurant we went to was a dish called "Klitharaki." Basically it is orzo pasta cooked in a tomato sauce and let me tell you, it was awesome! It was warm and comforting and right after I decided to make it myself sometime, my husband leaned over and told me how much he loved it also. That officially made up my mind.

After doing some research, I found out that klitharaki is the Greek name for the little pasta. There seem to be quite a few variations, but I was mostly interested in the savory tomato type that we ate the other night. This recipe is adapted from a different assortment of recipes that I found, but mostly came from here. We happened to make it on a windy, cold day and it was perfect.

Klitharaki, or Orzo in Tomato Sauce
Makes 4 to 5 servings

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 pound orzo pasta, uncooked
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a dutch oven or a large stock pot. When the butter has melted, add the onion and cook for several minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent. Then add the garlic and cook about 1 more minute. Make sure that the onions and the garlic do not brown or burn!

2. Then add the tomato sauce and the tomato paste. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Next add the water and the orzo. Give it a stir to make sure nothing is sticking, then add the salt, pepper, bay leaf, and oregano. Give it another stir and reduce the heat to medium-low.

3. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Make sure to stir the pasta often to prevent it from sticking on the bottom of the pot. If the mixture seems dry and the pasta is still not cooked, you can add a little more water, but make sure not to add too much!

4. When the pasta is al dente, add more salt and pepper if necessary and remove the bay leaf. Add in the cheese and cook for a few minutes more so the cheese has a chance to melt.

5. To serve, top with more cheese, if desired, and some warm toasty bread. Enjoy!