Warm Pasta Salad With Orzo

Gently warm the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and scatter over a large pinch of salt. Stir everything together, cover with a lid and cook on a medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Take the lid off, stir again, and cook uncovered for a further 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium, add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the tomatoes soften and start to burst a little, take the pan off the heat and set to one side to cool slightly.

Place the avocado in a large bowl and toss it in the zest and lemon juice. Add the tomato mixture and the olives and stir everything together, then set aside while you cook the pasta.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and season it well with table salt. Cook the orzo for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the avocados and tomatoes, along with all the chopped herbs and the parmesan. Mix well and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Transfer the salad to a large bowl, preferably set outside for a summer lunch, and scatter over a handful of toasted pine nuts just before serving.