Mollie Katzen's Cozy Orzo With Cottage Cheese

This is super easy, healthy comfort food from Mollie Katzen's cookbook, "Vegetable Heaven", where she refers to it as a grown-up mac 'n' cheese. I prefer it served warm, so that the cottage cheese melts. You can also add a little lemon juice.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lb low fat cottage cheese, room temperature (can also use regular or nonfat)
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup  minced chives or 1⁄4 cup scallion
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon zest
•  black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄2 lb  orzo
• 1  cup  frozen peas
•  fresh grated parmesan cheese or  pecorino romano cheese, for the top

Directions

1. Combine the cottage cheese, salt, chives or scallions, lemon zest, and black pepper in a medium-sized bowl, and mix well.
2. Cook the orzo in plenty of rapidly boiling water until it is tender. Place the peas in a colander in the sink, and drain the pasta right into the peas. (This will defrost the peas and cook them slightly). Shake off the excess water, transfer the orzo and peas to the cottage cheese mixture, and stir gently. Sprinkle with grated cheese, and serve warm or at room temperature, in bowls.