One of my favorite dishes is "Manestra". In Italian, I think it literally means "meat soup" and usually refers to a soup with tons of pasta. My Greek grandmother, though, made it with just orzo, no meat. The classic way to make it is to roast orzo with tomato puree, salt, pepper and chicken pieces until both the orzo and the chicken are cooked through. The juices and fat from the chicken get into the orzo and blend with the tomato to make it mouthwatering.

My weeknight version:

Saute 1 onion, chopped very finely, in plenty of olive oil, with salt and pepper, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves of garlic (or as much as you like), finely minced, and saute for another 1-2 minutes, or until very fragrant.

Add 1 lb. of good quality orzo (I'll use barilla white flour orzo in a pinch, but there are italian and greek brands that make it from semolina, which is not only healthier and more filling, but cooks better too.) and toast the orzo for about 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.

Add 1 large can of tomato puree (I usually get the whole plum tomatoes and use an immersion blender to break them up; you could use your hands to do this too) and stir well. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit.

At the same time, boil about 3 cups of water in a small sauce pan. Add the boiling water to the orzo mixture as necessary; depending on how dry the orzo is that you're using, you might need the whole 3 cups, or you might need less. Be sure to let the liquid absorb into the orzo before adding more, like risotto. The final product should be very thick, not soupy.

Cover and let simmer, stirring every minute or so, adding water as necessary, for about 7-8 minutes, or until tender to your taste.

Top with freshly grated pecorino or parm cheese and serve.

This dish usually takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, and it's one of my absolute favorite weeknight meals. Served with a salad, it's very balanced. Although roasting it with chicken tastes a lot better, the stove top version is a good substitute for the days you want something quick, warm and satisfying, and don't feel like waiting an hour for it to roast in the oven.