serves
2-4
prep
10 minutes
cook
25 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
2-4
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
25
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
I serve this delicious Greek orzo recipe with a . The orzo is cooked uniquely – not your typical boiled pasta with cheese and extra virgin Greek olive oil! It’s toasted first, so it turns a beautiful amber color and gets nice and nutty. Adding so many aromatic Mediterranean diet ingredients and classic Greek foods like Aegina pistachios, Corinthian currants or Greek raisins, and Krokos Kozanis – Greek saffron – this simple pasta dish becomes something delectable. It’s a perfect match for a great roasted chicken recipe but can just as easily be enjoyed on its own.
Ingredients
- ½ cup pistachios, shelled and toasted, or 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- 6 cups water or vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp (60 ml) extra virgin Greek olive oil
- 1 large red or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ cups orzo, divided
- 1 pinch Greek krokos (saffron)
- 2½-3 tbsp currants or seedless raisins, plumped in warm water
- Sea salt to taste
- 1½ tbsp chopped fresh mint and/or parsley
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts or pistachios in a small dry skillet over medium heat and set aside.
- Have 6 cups of hot water or vegetable broth simmering on the stove.
- Heat half the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot until soft, lightly browned, and glistening.
- Stir in the garlic. Add half the orzo to the pan and continue to cook until the orzo starts to brown. Sprinkle the saffron into the toasting orzo then add 1 cup of hot water or broth. Stir. Add liquid in half-cup increments until the browned orzo is soft but al dente.
- While cooking the vegetables and orzo, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add salt and boil the other half of the orzo. Drain, reserving 1 cup of its boiling liquid.
- Add the boiled orzo to the frying pan and mix gently with the browned, cooked orzo-vegetable mixture. Stir in the nuts and drain and stir in raisins, adding some of their soaking liquid if desired. Stir in the mint and/or parsley and serve.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
I serve this delicious Greek orzo recipe with a . The orzo is cooked uniquely – not your typical boiled pasta with cheese and extra virgin Greek olive oil! It’s toasted first, so it turns a beautiful amber color and gets nice and nutty. Adding so many aromatic Mediterranean diet ingredients and classic Greek foods like Aegina pistachios, Corinthian currants or Greek raisins, and Krokos Kozanis – Greek saffron – this simple pasta dish becomes something delectable. It’s a perfect match for a great roasted chicken recipe but can just as easily be enjoyed on its own.
