Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1/4 cup Truly Grass Fed Sharp Cheddar, crumbled
- 8 oz orzo
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 2 small zucchini, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Lemon zest and juice, to garnish
- Basil, to garnish
Pesto:
- 1/2 cup Truly Grass Fed Sharp Cheddar, crumbled
- 2 1/2 cups basil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- Juice of a half lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt heavily. Cook orzo to al dente according to box instructions. 3 minutes before pasta finishes, add frozen peas. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Rinse pasta and peas with cold water to preventing sticking. Set aside.
- Add all pesto ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth. If too thick, add a bit more olive oil. Set aside.
- In a large sauce pan, add olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add shallots. In 2-3 minutes or as shallots soften, add red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add zucchini and cook for about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring only occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
- Turn heat to low before adding orzo, peas, pesto, and a splash of reserved pasta water to the pan. Gently mix. Allow to simmer until sauce thickens a bit, then mix in crumbled cheddar.
Serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, basil, and more crumbled cheddar.
