Orzo What?

     Recently I found a recipe for a chicken soup that called for orzo to be toasted and included in the broth.  Having none on hand, I went to the local grocery store to purchase some.  But I wasn't sure what I was looking for, or even worse, where to find it.  What exactly is orzo?  Is it a grain, like rice or quinoa?  Would it be in the health food section, or over with the other shapes of pasta.  When I asked the young employee, she was very kind but also had no idea what we were looking for.  Eventually I did locate a small bag of DaVinci brand imported Italian orzo and happily brought it home so I could make the soup on a chilly December day.

     Once back in the kitchen I took some time to read the package and discovered that orzo is comprised of durum wheat semolina.  So it's pasta!  Turns out it's a pasta made in the shape of a grain of rice, thus the source of my confusion.  Even more confusing is that the Italian word orzo translates in English as barley.  And if that weren't confusing enough, this versatile little pasta is also known by a variety of different names: kritharaka, manestra, rosa marina, reiskornpasta, pasta gallo pion and risoni, depending on the country where it is cooked.  It is very popular in Greece and is also a chef's favorite in other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern nations.  As I soon discovered it is a welcome addition in soups but is not limited to just that.  It can be served alone as are other pastas and it readily takes on supportive flavors combined with it.  It can also be an integral part of a salad or pilaf and can be baked into a casserole.  Orzo's only limitation is the creativity of the person preparing it.