Italian Orzo Salad | With Roasted Bell Peppers & Olives

Preheat the oven to 200 °C top/bottom heat. Wash, deseed, and cut the red and yellow bell peppers into bite-sized strips. Spread them out on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, season lightly with salt, and roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until tender and lightly charred.

Meanwhile, bring plenty of salted water to a boil in a pot. Add the orzo pasta and cook al dente according to the package instructions for about 8-10 minutes. Then drain, rinse briefly with cold water, and allow to drain thoroughly. Toast the pine nuts in a small dry pan over medium heat until golden brown, then set aside.

Drain the marinated artichoke hearts and cut them into quarters. Halve the Kalamata olives if desired. For the dressing, whisk the remaining extra virgin olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, finely grated garlic clove, fine table salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl.