This dish uses orzo rather than risotto rice making it a speedier version than a traditional risotto, ready in only 35 minutes! There's loads of flavour from the watercress pesto and it makes the perfect midweek meal!Ā Ā
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
35 mins
Cal/Serv:
619
Ingredients
For the orzotto
25g
butter
1
onion, finely chopped
2
garlic cloves, crushed
400g
orzo
1l
hot vegetable stock
500g
asparagus, ends trimmed, roughly chopped
50g
vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated
For the pesto
75g
watercress
small handful basil
25g
pine nuts, toasted
25g
vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated
1
garlic clove, crushed
3Tbsp.
olive oil
finely grated zest and juice 1/2 lemon
Directions
StepĀ 1For the orzotto, melt the butter in a large, deep non-stick frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 5min, until softened.
StepĀ 2Stir in the garlic, orzo and some seasoning, until coated in the butter. Pour in the stock. Bring to the boil and bubble for 8-10min, stirring occasionally and adding the asparagus for the final 4min, until the orzo is tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese and check seasoning.
StepĀ 3Meanwhile, in the small bowl of a food processor, whizz all the pesto ingredients and some seasoning until fairly smooth and combined.
StepĀ 4To serve, divide the orzotto between 4 bowls and swirl through the pesto.
GH TIPS:
If you use store-bought pesto it'll be ready in only 30 minutes. This is perfect for midweek cooking.
Not a fan of orzo? You could replace with risotto rice, but you'll need to cook it for slightly longer, and may need more stock so adjust accordingly.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust theyāll work (and if they donāt ā weāll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: ābuy an separate oven thermometerā!).Ā
