Orzo alla Milanese
Am I curious, adventurous or perhaps a mix of the two…? I’m not totally sure but that’s how I started cooking with this kind of pasta… orzo!
A couple of decades ago while I was at my local supermarket, I was in the pasta aisle and noticed a bag sitting on the shelf. “What is orzo”, I asked myself? To me it looked more like rice. There was a lady next to me and I asked her if she knew anything about it. Like me, she didn’t.
– “Well, there’s one way to find out more about it – by trying it”, I said and the bag went straight into my shopping cart…
I experimented with this pasta by creating a few recipes like my Veggie Orzo Risotto and after being very satisfied with the results, I decided to replace the traditional risotto made with rice with pasta. My Orzo alla Milanese was a great choice to accompany my Veal Ossobuco. I loved it and so did my girlfriends that I had over for dinner!
A few years later I discovered that I wasn’t the only one thinking that orzo was an amazing substitution for the classic Risotto made with Arborio rice. Other chefs were also serving the classic Italian dish along with Orzo alla Milanese – great minds think alike… lol!
The method used to cook this recipe is the same as making risotto with rice. The pasta has to absorb the liquid completely before adding more, a ladle at a time. It’s a good way to test your patience but it’s so worth it. The creamy texture of this side dish will reward your efforts…
Although a perfect combination for Ossobuco, this Orzo alla Milanese also goes well with Chicken and Pork Roast. This is a great side dish with a beautiful saffron-scent to enjoy… definitely a delicious new addition to your repertoire. So next time you want to make some Risotto think of Orzo instead of Arborio, you’ll be quite pleased with the results!
Bon Appétit
NOTE: Click here for my Veal Ossobuco recipe.
Check out these other tasty pasta recipes…
– Zucchini Pork Penne
– Potato Gnocchi
– Turkey Tetrazzini
– Frankie’s Macaroni Casserole
– Lady Athena’s Rockin’ Crab Shell Pasta
– Ultimate 8 Cheese Vegetable Lasagna
and for even more side dish recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Side Dish & Vegetables
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Orzo alla Milanese
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 tsp. saffron threads
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- ground Himalayan sea salt, to taste
- 1 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine wine and saffron; set aside for 10 minutes.
- Pour broth in a saucepan over medium-low heat and keep it very warm (do not boil it) until needed.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add oil and butter. When it’s hot and the butter has melted, add the orzo, stirring to coat and starts to soften slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Add the wine mixture and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
- Ladle in ½ cup at a time of warm broth until the liquid is absorbed between each addition, stirring constantly.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the cheese and stir once again before serving immediately.
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