Perfect Orzo Pasta

A colorful mixture of perfectly roasted
vegetables, salty kalamata olives
and pieces of creamy fresh mozzarella.
This is a very good pasta salad recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of orzo pasta
1 small zucchini, cut into 1" pieces
1 small yellow squash, cut into 1" pieces
6 thin asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic left in their skins
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Distribute zucchini, squash,
asparagus, peppers, onion
and garlic between two baking pans.
Drizzle with olive oil and
season with salt and pepper.
Roast for about 15 minutes,
tuning halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, cook orzo in salted water,
drain and put in a large bowl.
Toss with oil to prevent sticking.
When vegetables are cooked,
let cool for a few minutes and
remove garlic and set aside.
Add cooled veggies to cooled
but still warm orzo.
Add olives, tomatoes and mozzarella.
In a small bowl squeeze garlic cloves
from their skins, add a teaspoon of salt,
some black pepper and a couple
of tablespoons of olive oil.
Smash to form a paste adding
more oil as needed. Add garlic paste
and basil to veggie orzo mixture and mix.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.