Toasted orzo with carrots, raisins and pine nuts

Orzo is an essential Mediterranean diet ingredient, at least in Greek cooking. We call it kritharaki, which means little barley, because of its shape, which resembles barley kernels.

Credit: My Greek Table

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

I serve this delicious Greek orzo recipe with a spiced roasted chicken. 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

1. Toast the pine nuts or pistachios in a small dry skillet over medium heat and set aside.
2. Have 6 cups of hot water or vegetable broth simmering on the stove.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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 spiced roasted chicken. 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.