My Ikarian guide Eleni’s 103-year-old grandmother taught me this easy soup recipe, which she called kritharaki. She whipped it up quickly, and it satisfied me as much as a meal that takes 20 times longer to prepare. Made with tiny, torpedo-shaped orzo, a Greek variation on risotto, this is peasant food at its best – healthy, hearty, and simple.
4 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 fresh vine-ripened tomato, chopped (or one 15-ounce can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes)
1 cup roasted tomato sauce, either fresh or store-bought
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound orzo or similar short-cut pasta
1 teaspoon salt
Salt and pepper (optional)
