Polka Dot Pasta Salad

• 1 1/3 cups orzo
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 small yellow squash, halved, seeded, and diced
• 1/2 cucumber, halved, seeded, and diced
• 2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds (page 195)

1. Cook the orzo for 1 minute less than package instructions indicate.
2. Rinse with cool water, drain well, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
4. Add the cooked orzo and stir to coat.
5. Add the tomatoes, squash, cucumber, green onions, basil, and parsley to the orzo mixture and toss to combine.
6. Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.
7. Top with the toasted almonds and serve chilled or at room temperature.
8. To save time, the orzo mixture can be made 1 day in advance and combined with the vegetables just before serving.

orzo, extravirgin olive oil, lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice, garlic, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumber, green onions, fresh basil, flatleaf, almonds

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/polka-dot-pasta-salad-387741 (may not work)