Orzo with Bacon and Peas recipe
This is a quick recipe, perfect for those nights when the cupboards are pretty much bare and you just can’t be arsed. I have a lot of those midweek meal lulls, when only a quick one pot pasta dish will do. On those days, this Orzo with Bacon and Peas is just the job.
All you need for this dish is the one pot, so make it a good one; I love my VonShef casserole dish because it looks good on the table, as well as on the stove. Cook the bacon until crisp trying desperately hard not to eat half of it while it sizzles. Stir through the peas and orzo, pour on some water and thats about it. Apart from some wonderful finishing touches of butter and parmesan. This dish is creamy, so flavourful, but above all quick and simple. Nigella whose lovely recipe this is, says it has risotto like qualities, but without the kerfuffle.
George is fleeing the nest in less than 4 weeks, so I’m cooking up some uni friendly recipes with him in mind at the mo. This one, is right up his street, minus the peas, of course.
So simple, yet so tasty. The original recipe called for pancetta, but what penniless student *mother of two hungry boys* can afford pancetta. Likewise, if you have a pea hater in the house, leave them out and just stir through some broccoli florets instead.
Start with a lovely pan and some olive oil over a medium flame. If you don’t have garlic oil, then add a clove of crushed garlic at this point. When the oil’s hot, add the chopped streaky bacon and cook until crisp.
Stir through the peas and just cook for a minute then add the orzo and coat in the bacon fat.
Pour on the boiling water and bring up to the simmer.
Cook this brilliant one pot dish, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the pasta is just al dente. In a final flourish, stir through the butter and freshly grated parmesan. Add black pepper to taste.
And that’s it; I did say it was quick. Serve piping hot with a handful of fresh basil or parsley.
George has suggested I tell him what to cook every night when he’s away at uni. So I really won’t get much of a chance to miss him if he’s going to be phoning the Lucy Loves hotline every night.
Lucy x
Orzo with Bacon and Peas recipe
Serves 3 to 4, appetite dependent
You will just need a high sided pan or casserole dish for this
1 tablespoon garlic oil, or use normal oil but add a clove of garlic when browning the bacon
8 rashers streaky bacon, chopped, although back rashers would be fine too
150g frozen peas
300g orzo pasta
750ml boiling water
1 big knob butter, or 20g if you’re precise
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
Black pepper, to taste, fresh basil or parsley to garnish
In a large high sided frying pan add the garlic oil, or olive oil and a clove of crushed garlic, and heat over a medium flame. Add the chopped bacon and fry until golden. Add the peas and cook for a minute in the bacon juices.
Stir the orzo pasta into the bacon then pour on the boiling water and stir. Bring up to the simmer, then turn down and cook, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pasta is just al dente. Stir frequently, to stop the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pan.
When the pasta’s cooked, stir through the butter and parmesan, season with black pepper then serve, piping hot, garnished with a little basil or parsley, if you like.
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