Recipe - Orzo With Spinach And Pine Nuts

3 tablespoon Olive oil
2 bn Spinach; leaves only
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
One fourth cup Pine nuts; refreshed
3 Cloves garlic; finely
chopped
3 Plum tomatoes; concasse
2 cup Dried orzo pasta

If the pine nuts are old, they may be refreshed by toasting as you would
any nut or seeds. Do not overheat or the remaining oil will burn, making
the nuts bitter.

Heat a large covered skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of
the olive oil and when it is hot, add the spinach with all the water still
clinging to its leaves from washing. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, then
remove the lid and turn the spinach over with tongs. Replace the lid and
cook for 2 minutes more. Repeat until all the spinach is wilted and tender.
Stir in a pinch each of salt and pepper. Transfer the spinach to a colander
set over a bowl and drain. When cool enough to handle, press down on the
spinach to extract as much liquid as possible. Chop the spinach coarsely
and reserve the juice.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over
medium heat. Add the pine nuts and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly
golden. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the garlic
gives off its aroma. Season to taste, stir in the minced tomatoes and the
spinach, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.

In a large saucepan, bring a generous amount of lightly salted water to a
boil. Cook the orzo, stirring occasionally to stop them from sticking, for
about 9 minutes or until tender. Drain thoroughly, shaking the colander to
get rid of most of the water, and transfer them to the skillet with the
spinach mixture and the reserved spinach juice. Toss to mix the
ingredients evenly, taste for seasoning and reheat gently before serving.