Brown Butter Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 / 2 pound Japanese eggplants
• 1 / 2 pound zucchini
• 1 / 2 red bell pepper
• 1 / 2 green bell pepper
• 1 / 2 red onion
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground toasted cumin
• 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 3 / 4 cups boiling water
• 1/3 cup Greek-style whole-milk yogurt , homemade or purchased, whisked
• 1 tablespoon Roasted Red Pepper Sauce , optional

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 475°F. Dice the eggplants, zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion into half-inch pieces. Place them in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil.
2. 2Sprinkle the cumin and smoked sweet paprika over the vegetables. Season generously with salt and black pepper, then mix thoroughly to coat evenly.
3. 3Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are soft, browned in spots, and starting to crisp. Don't crowd the pan, or the vegetables will steam instead of roasting.
4. 4While the vegetables roast, melt the butter in a saucepan over high heat. Swirl the pan constantly until the milk solids fall to the bottom and turn a deep brown color, creating a fragrant brown butter. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.
5. 5Lower the heat to medium and stir in the orzo. Cook for about 3 minutes until the pasta turns a toasted hazelnut color, then pour in the boiling water and half a teaspoon of salt.
6. 6Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed and the orzo is tender.
7. 7Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the orzo rest while the vegetables finish roasting. Transfer the cooked orzo to a serving platter or shallow bowls, arrange the roasted vegetables over the pasta, and finish with a spoonful of yogurt and an optional drizzle of roasted red pepper sauce.

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