Simple, quick dinner on the cheap

You ever have one of those days where you wake up late, have a bunch of shit to do, and get home around 5, wanting to have 5 o'clock ginsies (your ritual 5 o'clock gin and tonic) but are afraid to, as you haven't eaten all day? Actually you probably haven't, but that's exactly what happened to me today!

I returned home from a day of errands wanting to eat something simple, quick, and nutritious. Of course, I knew exactly what to make, a dish consisting almost entirely of pantry items that I regularly keep on hand (and you should, too). In fact, this entire meal involves only 6 ingredients:

Those are of course, canned tomatoes, tuna, capers, orzo, parmiggiano, and garlic. And in just a little more than the time it takes to cook the orzo, the entire thing is finished.

First boil water (don't forget to salt it!) for the orzo. In the meantime, chop two cloves of garlic and saute in a saucepan with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. After the garlic has softened, add canned tomatoes, capers, and tuna, and simmer on low heat to thicken. Salt and black pepper to taste, of course.

Add orzo to the boiling salted water, and cook the sauce and orzo simultaneously. Grate some parmiggiano, set it aside and wait for the orzo to finish cooking.

When the orzo is almost done, drain it and add it to the sauce. Stir in some of your grated parmiggiano, save some to sprinkle over top before serving. Turn off the heat, and let it cool.

Serve in a bowl and top with your reserved parmiggiano. Yum!

This dish is deceptively simple-- in 30 minutes or so you will have created a harmonious combination of flavors: the fresh sweetness of canned tomatoes, the salty-acidic bite of jarred capers, the nuttiness of parmiggiano. It's healthy, substantial, inexpensive, and delicious. And you'll totally have leftovers for tomorrow.