Pancetta, Pea & Caper Orzotto p211

Presenting, the ‘orzotto’. A creamy, tangy, cheesy risotto made out of orzo pasta – what could be better? Make sure to turn down the heat on the frying pan when you add the crème fraîche so it doesn’t split. SPEED HACK Fry the pre-diced pancetta, stirring regularly, over a super high heat to crisp it up, then crush in the unpeeled garlic cloves. No chopping needed.

Updated at: Mon, 11 Dec 2023 19:30:47 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories785.9 kcal (39%)

Total Fat49.4 g (71%)

Carbs62.1 g (24%)

Sugars12.2 g (14%)

Protein24.9 g (50%)

Sodium1328.3 mg (66%)

Fiber13.9 g (50%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

300gdried orzo

160gdiced pancetta

2garlic cloves

400gfrozen peas

3 Tbspcapers

300mlcreme fraiche

Instructions

Step 1

Pour the boiling water from the kettle into a large saucepan over the heat and bring back to the boil. Season the water well with salt, then drop in the orzo pasta. Cook for 1 minute less than the packet instructions say to. Drain in a sieve.

Step 2

Meanwhile, get a large frying pan over a super high heat and drizzle in a splash of olive oil. Add the pancetta and fry, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes until crisp.

Step 3

Crush in the unpeeled garlic cloves and tip in the frozen peas. Once the peas have begun to defrost and turn bright green, turn the heat down to low-medium. Add the capers and crème fraîche, then give everything a good mix. Finely grate in the lemon zest and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.

Step 4

Tip the drained orzo into the frying pan and mix well, then grate in a good chunk of Parmesan cheese. Stir the Parmesan into the orzo and let it melt to create a silky-smooth risotto vibe. Serve at the table for people to help themselves.