Orzo is pasta shaped like grains of barley. You can use in instead of rice for risotto-style dishes. It goes really well with porcini mushrooms. The ricotta cheese makes it creamy and mild. I like to serve it with a rocket, apple and cherry tomato side salad. This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare.
Italian-style vegetarian 30-minutes • 650 kcal per person 
Ingredients
For two people:
- Fresh ingredients:
- 1 pack chestnut mushrooms
- 150 g ricotta
- 50 g grated grana padano or parmezan
- 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped finely
- From the store cupboard
- half a cup dried porcini mushrooms
- 5 dried tomatoes
- 3 tablespoon pine kernels
- 1 teaspoon cumin, coriander
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- garlic oil (optional)
Preparation
- Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in hot water for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the orzo together with the dried tomatoes. Orzo is cooked just like regular pasta.
- When the orzo is ready, fish the soaked tomatoes from the pot, then drain.
- Heat the olive oil and fry the pine kernels, ginger and spices for a few minutes, then add the chestnut mushrooms. Stir-fry for a few more minutes until the mushrooms start to release their liquid.
- Squeeze most of the water out of the porcini mushrooms and add them to the pan.
- Add the dried tomatoes and orzo to the pan and stir.
- Spoon the ricotta into the pan, stirring gently.
- Drizzle on some garlic oil and serve with grated cheese sprinkled on top.