Food with Passion: Orzo Pasta Risotto with Peas and Pancetta

I do love a good risotto and i have many different go-to  recipes, some of which i have shared with you in my blog, but a risotto does require you to stand over it, ladling the stock in a little at a time until it’s soaked up which can feel labour intensive!

This version i assure you is the exact opposite.

Instead of using rice you use orzo pasta which looks like rice but cooks in a fraction of the time.

This is great quick to prepare, easy to serve and delicious cheats version of risotto for mid-week when you don’t want the hassle of long preparation but want maximum taste!

Kids love it too and this recipe caters for four or two hungry adults!

Ingredients: 

• 250g orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
• 150g cubes of pancetta
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme or parsley leaves
• 150g frozen peas
• 625ml of hot chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan (plus extra to serve) little salt and generous amount of ground black pepper to season

Method

1. in a heavy based pan or casserole dish, heat up the oil on a medium to high heat. cook the pancetta cubes until crisp and bronzed then add the frozen peas.
2. cook for a minute or two until the peas have lost their frozen look then add the pasta, garlic powder and mix everything together to cover all of the pasta in the cooking juices.
3. add the hot stock and season, turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
4. all of the starchy water will be absorbed which means the risotto is cooked, then beat in the butter and parmesan and serve immediately.

A delicious italian themed supper in about 15 minutes which is delicious in taste but so quick and easy to make.

None of the traditional ladling of stock a little at a time but this looks, tastes exactly like a traditional rice-based risotto.

Orzo is readily available in most supermarkets these days.

If you have leftovers this is delicious served cold as a salad for lunch the next day, great for taking into the office in Tupperware!

Simple, classic cooking at its best that’s right up my street after a long busy working day