Orzotto from Runner's Kitchen
6 servings
60 minutes
Orzotto from 'Runner's Kitchen' is an original dish inspired by the philosophy of quick and nutritious food, perfect for active people. It is a variation of classic risotto but uses orzo pasta instead of rice, which achieves a wonderful creamy texture when cooked properly. The rich flavor of mushrooms adds depth to the dish, while sautéed onions contribute a subtle sweetness. The finishing touch is a generous portion of hard cheese that melts smoothly to create an appetizing creamy consistency. It is recommended to serve orzotto with a glass of dry white wine or a cup of coffee to reveal its flavor from a new perspective. This dish is easy to prepare, nutritious and warming, making it ideal for a cozy dinner after an active day.
1
Clean and finely chop a small white onion. Wash, clean, and dice the mushrooms.
- Onion: 100 g
- Fresh champignons: 400 g
2
Turn the heat almost to maximum. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a thick pan. Sauté the onion until golden.
- Olive oil: 25 ml
3
Add mushrooms and sauté for 7-10 minutes until a strong mushroom smell and liquid are released.
- Fresh champignons: 400 g
4
Pour the orzo or risoni pasta onto the almost cooked mushrooms with onions. It's convenient to do this in a circle, in a thin layer, covering the mushrooms. The pasta will settle on the base like grains of rice. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to absorb the remaining oil, liquid, and aromas. When the pasta darkens slightly in some places and swells a bit, gently pour chicken broth over it. If you don't have broth on hand or don't eat meat, you can substitute it with water — this will affect the taste and calorie count (lowering both), but it's not critical. I wouldn't recommend using vegetable broth: it will introduce unwanted carrot-bay leaf notes. By the way, you can lower the stove's power; our task is to delicately bring the dish to readiness, not to introduce the pasta to hellish flames.
- Orzo pasta: 400 g
- Water: 900 ml
5
If the pasta has absorbed all the broth, evenly add 200–250 grams of water around. The liquid should cover the pasta by about one centimeter.
- Water: 900 ml
6
If the pasta absorbs all the water again, add the same amount, wait for it to absorb, and repeat this operation two more times. In total, four additions of liquid are needed. Don't pour it all at once; otherwise, it will turn into mush. We are making 'risotto' here, even without rice, so we will persist in treating 'non-rice' as rice until we believe in its rice-like qualities.
- Water: 900 ml
7
Grate 100 grams of hard cheese to taste on a fine grater. I have cheddar; you can use parmesan. Turn off the heat, sprinkle the dish with salt to taste, mix well, sprinkle cheese on top, cover with a lid. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Cheddar cheese: 100 g
- Salt: 25 g
8
Serve on plates with a mix of peppers and leftover cheese for sprinkling — there will definitely be those who want to add more. It can be complemented with a glass of dry white wine or a cup of coffee.
- Cheddar cheese: 100 g