Cherry Love: Chef Bugher’s Cherry Basil Pasta

It’s a winner! For day 2 of our Cherry Love Fest we bring you a very quick summer recipe from Chef Chris Bugher, Special Events Chef at The Cooking and Culinary Institute in Huntington WV. Chris’s orzo pasta recipe with cherries, basil and feta won first place in the Cherry Marketing Institute’s “Powered by Red” contest this Spring.

Cherry Basil Orzo Pasta
Chef Chris Bugher

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or frozen tart cherries
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup dried pitted chopped dates
4 ounces feta cheese
1/2 pound orzo pasta
1/4 cup fresh basil chiffonade (chiffonade is basically a cutting technique for herbs that is simple. Stack the leaves, roll them, and then cut them to produce fine strips.)
Salt to taste

Directions:
Mix together cherries, dates, and garlic in a small sauce pan on low and heat until dates are rehydrated.

Meanwhile boil orzo pasta in salted water for 8-10 minutes.

Drain pasta, stir in cherry mixture and feta cheese.

Season with salt and garnish with fresh basil.

Serves 6-8

Continue on with the superfruit cherry chef recipes! Part one features a to die for delicious Tuscan dessert recipe, Cherries with Chianti.