Antipasto Orzo Salad

For the dressing:
In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, combine garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Let stand 5 to 15 minutes. In the meantime, pulse sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, dijon, maple syrup, water, and oil in a blender or food processor until smooth and thick. Remove garlic from shallot mixture and discard, then add tomato purée to the measuring cup and whisk until well mixed. Set aside in refrigerator until needed.

For the salad:
Preheat oven to 425ºF and move rack near bottom. Bring about 3 quarts water to a boil while you prepare the chickpeas. Dry chickpeas between 2 layers of a clean dish towel. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss them with 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic salt to coat well. Bake until golden in places and slightly dry on the outside, but not crunchy throughout, about 13 to 15 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice during baking. Set aside to cool.

Salt the boiling water and cook orzo al dente according to package instructions. Test during the last couple minutes to avoid overcooking, and don’t rinse. In a large bowl, combine warm pasta with a third of the dressing. Refrigerate to cool while preparing remaining ingredients. Stir artichokes, bell pepper, olives, mushrooms, and remaining dressing into the orzo. Fold in the fresh herbs, feta, and torn arugula. The chickpeas can be stirred into the salad or served on top. If desired, serve orzo salad over a bed of arugula (best to skip this if you’re bringing it to a potluck or picnic) and top with toasted seeds or nuts.