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. After being very satisfied with the results, I decided to replace the traditional risotto made with rice 🍚 with pasta. This is how my Orzo alla Milanese was born. This is a great choice to accompany 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!
The method used to cook this recipe is the same as making the traditional 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! 🍽
Check out these other tasty pasta recipes…😀
– Fettuccine alle Vongole – Clam Fettuccine
– Zucchini Pork Penne
– Meat Lasagna
– Turkey Tetrazzini
– Frankie’s Macaroni Casserole
– Spaghetti alla Carbonara
– Meat Manicotti
– Pastitsio
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 such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
- 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 pink 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 hot and the butter has melted, add orzo, stirring to coat and cook until it 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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