Serves6 (side dish)
- Active time:10 min
- Start to finish:20 min
June 2008
Small pasta like acini di pepe and orzo make wonderful room-temperature salads, since they mix so thoroughly with the other ingredients and never go stiff. Garlic, olives, and chile flakes lend a lot of zip to this quick side dish you’ll come back to all summer.
-
1/2
lb
acini di pepe or orzo (1 1/4 cups)
-
1
tablespoon
olive oil
-
2
tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
4
garlic cloves, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
-
1/4
teaspoon
hot red-pepper flakes
-
1/2
cup
pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
-
Cook acini di pepe in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water), stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain well in a sieve. Transfer to a bowl.
-
Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté garlic with red-pepper flakes until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in olives. Toss with pasta. Season with salt and pepper.
Cooks’ note: Pasta can be made 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.
