Orzo With Feta, Green Beans and Tomatoes

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredient
10 ounces	snap beans or green beans
1 cup	orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1	medium onion
2 cloves	garlic
3	medium tomatoes
2 tablespoons	olive oil
1 tablespoon	white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon	fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup	crumbled feta (about 6 ounces)

Preparation

1. Fill a 4-quart kettle three-fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for beans and orzo.
2. Chop onion and mince garlic. Quarter and seed tomatoes. Cut quarters lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
3. Trim beans and cut into 1-inch pieces.
4. In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in oil over moderate heat until onion is softened. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until tomatoes are softened, about 2 minutes.
5. Remove skillet from heat. Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water.
6. In boiling salted water blanch beans 1 minute. With a slotted spoon transfer beans to ice water to stop cooking. Drain beans well in a colander and pat dry. Add beans to tomato mixture and return water in kettle to a boil. Boil orzo until al dente and drain in colander. Add orzo to bean mixture with vinegar, parsley, feta, and salt and pepper to taste, tossing to combine well.

Yield

4 servings

For Baby

Set aside extra 1/2 cup beans for baby food. Wash and snap off ends of green beans. Steam until very tender. Place into food grinder and puree. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency. You may wish to push the green beans through a sieve or mesh strainer to remove any remaining skins Freeze any extra portions in ice cube tray for use later.

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