Pasta with Ricotta and Broccoli

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 pound dried (orzo) pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1 pound broccoli rabe or broccoli, rinsed, ends trimmed, and coarsely chopped
1 container (15 oz.) low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, 7 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta-cooking water. Return orzo to pan.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic; stir until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chili flakes and broccoli rabe; stir 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of reserved water; simmer until greens are tender to bite, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Add broccoli rabe mixture to orzo with ricotta, olives, and remaining 1/2 cup reserved water; mix, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Comments:
This was not as good as I expected it to be. It was just missing... something. I don't know what that might have been, but it was pretty bland. I also suspect all that ricotta made me sick, but that's more a personal lactose intolerance thing than a defect in the recipe. :)