Sicilian Orzo Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 340 g orzo pasta
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced ​​+ 1/2 cup coarsely chopped leaves
• 3 tablespoons of pine nuts
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted black olives
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley or mint (or a mixture)
• 1 can (106g) canned sardines in oil or 1 can (142g) canned tuna in oil, patted dry and cut into pieces
• 0.5 tbsp. grated salted ricotta (55 g.)

Preparation:

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo pasta and cook according to the package directions, adding the celery pieces 2 minutes before the end of cooking. Separately, set aside 0.5 cups of the pasta cooking water and discard the rest. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add the olives and red pepper; stir. Add the orzo and celery along with 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring, until the cooking water is almost completely absorbed and the pasta is coated with the sauce, adding more cooking liquid if needed, about 2 minutes.
3. Add celery leaves, herbs, and sardines, season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and grated cheese.