The recipe

2 servingsabout 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 180 g dried orzo
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes
  • 60 g peeled onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 400 ml hot mild vegetable stock
  • 20 g finely grated hard cheese
  • 8 basil leaves
  • Salt, pepper and hot water as needed

Method

  1. Halve the tomatoes and finely dice the onion and garlic. Wash and dry the basil and grate the cheese. Have the hot stock and extra hot water ready.
  2. Warm the oil in the deep frying pan over medium heat. Soften the onion for about five minutes, then cook the garlic for another 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and soften for around five minutes.
  3. Stir in the orzo and 400 ml stock. Simmer gently uncovered, stirring frequently across the bottom. Start checking at eight minutes; follow the packet guidance and the actual texture.
  4. Add hot water a tablespoon at a time when needed. Continue until the pasta has no hard centre and the sauce is thick but flowing.
  5. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and six torn basil leaves. Season, loosen with a little hot water if needed and divide between two plates. Serve with the remaining two basil leaves.

Small pasta needs attention

Orzo looks like rice, but this dish uses dried pasta. Add it uncooked to the pan and do not drain it at the end. A deep frying pan around 24 centimetres across gives two servings enough room for stirring. A much wider pan allows liquid to evaporate faster.

Start with 400 millilitres of mild vegetable stock. The extra water needed depends on the pasta, tomatoes and heat. The grains should cook in a moist sauce; a dry trail across the bottom of the pan signals that more liquid is needed. Taste before salting, because the stock and hard cheese already provide seasoning.

Adjust the texture just before serving

Stir across the bottom and around the edges to prevent sticking. From eight minutes after adding the stock, check individual pieces and compare with the packet timing. If they are still hard, they need more cooking and possibly some water. If cooked but surrounded by thin sauce, simmer briefly uncovered while stirring.

Remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese. The finished dish can look slightly looser than you want when you plate it: the pasta continues to take up liquid as it stands. Add basil and cheese at the end. For vegetarian guests, select a suitably labelled hard cheese.