While the orzo cooks, trim the tough woody ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the remaining spears into thirds so each piece is roughly the same size. Dice the shallot finely. Chop the parsley and basil and set aside separately from the vegetables. Grating the garlic directly into the pan rather than mincing it gives you a finer, more evenly distributed garlic flavor throughout the dish.

Heat 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the asparagus and peas and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the asparagus bright green and just tender with a little bite still in it. Do not overcook it here as it will continue to soften slightly when tossed with the warm orzo.

Add the diced shallot and cook for 2 minutes until softened and translucent. Grate the garlic directly into the pan and stir immediately. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, watching closely so it does not burn. Season with salt and black pepper and stir to combine.

In a small bowl or jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake until fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. The dressing should taste bright and lemony with a good balance of oil. Set aside.

Add the cooled orzo to the pan with the sauteed vegetables. If the pan is still very hot, remove it from the heat first. Toss everything together gently until the orzo and vegetables are evenly combined. Fold in the chopped parsley and basil. Adding the herbs now off the heat keeps them bright green and fragrant rather than wilted and dark.

Drizzle about two thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and add more dressing as needed. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Remember the Parmigiano Reggiano you are adding on top will bring more saltiness so do not over-season before tasting with the cheese.

Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Grate or shave Parmigiano Reggiano generously over the top. Serve immediately warm, at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to serve cold. If serving cold, taste the dressing again before serving as cold temperatures mute flavors and you may want to add a little more lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil before bringing it to the table.