Rustichella d'Abruzzo Orzo is a tiny rice-shaped pasta designed for soups, salads, and creamy preparations. Although orzo means “barley” in Italian, this classic pastina is pasta rather than rice or barley, with its name referring to the grain-like appearance of each piece. Rustichella d'Abruzzo traces its pasta-making tradition to 1924 in Penne, Abruzzo, bringing its longstanding craftsmanship to this versatile miniature format. Orzo is especially useful because it can move effortlessly between light and hearty recipes: add it to chicken or vegetable soup, minestrone, and broths, toss it with tomatoes, herbs, feta, or roasted vegetables for a pasta salad, or cook it gradually with broth for a creamy, risotto-style preparation often called orzotto. Its small size allows it to absorb surrounding flavors beautifully while remaining easy to eat by the spoonful, making it an exceptionally useful Italian pantry staple.