Creamy Baked Orzo with Rainbow Chard, Butternut Squash, and Leeks

Cooking Steps

1. 

   Prepare ingredients

   Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Rinse all produce. If leek arrived with dark green top, trim and discard it. Halve leek lengthwise and thinly slice. Place in a bowl of cold water, separating pieces, to let dirt sink to bottom. Cut butternut squash into ½-inch dice. Cut chard crosswise into ¼ inch–thick ribbons, keeping stems and leaves separate. Roughly chop herb leaves, discarding stems. Mince garlic.

2. 

   Cook orzo pasta

   Season boiling water generously with salt. Stir in orzo and cook until almost al dente, 8 minutes, then drain and set aside. Remove leeks from water with a slotted spoon or your hands (draining them would pour the dirt at the bottom over the leeks) and pat very dry with paper towel to avoid splattering in the pan.

   
   

3. 

   Sauté vegetables

   While orzo cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium high-sided ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add squash, chard stems, garlic, and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until combined and bright red, 1-2 minutes more.

4. 

   Assemble pasta bake

   Add vegetable stock, ⅓ cup heavy cream, and half of herbs to pan with vegetables, still over medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer. Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper as desired, and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in chard leaves and cooked orzo to combine. Remove pan from heat. Cut tomato into ¼-inch-thick rounds and arrange over orzo in pan. Sprinkle over mozzarella.  

5. 

   Finish and bake pasta

   In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and pepper as desired. Sprinkle evenly over orzo. Transfer pan to oven and bake until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. 

6. 

   Plate baked orzo

   While orzo bakes, set the table or relax with a glass of wine. Carefully remove pan from oven and let cool slightly. Divide creamy baked orzo between plates and garnish with remaining herbs. Dig in!