ORZO CACCIATORE

Still playing around with Greek orzo pasta as the base for a quick and easy dinner in a dish; tonight's rendition made use of leftover cooked chicken.

Mince one small onion and one or two large cloves of garlic and cook them in 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan until they're translucent. Stir in enough leftover boneless chicken meat for two (about 8 ounces), cut into bite-size pieces, then reduce heat and add 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, let cook for a few minutes, then stir in 2/3 cup orzo or other soup pasta. Simmer, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick, until the pasta is done (this will take about 15 minutes for real Greek orzo, probably less for smaller soup pasta), at which point it should have absorbed all the liquid and become very much like risotto in texture. Remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or a mixture of Pecorino and Parmigiana) with a little fresh-grated nutmeg and black pepper, and stir until the cheese melts.

This one doesn't need anything but a salad and bread, if you like, to make a complete meal.