Tomato orzo with chickpeas and mushrooms

Sylvia was dubious when I suggested making the Kitchn's Tomato orzo with chickpeas but it has become one of our favourite meals of last year.  It is excellent comfort food.  And quick to put together with store cupboard items.  Think of it as pasta c ceci meets risotto. 

It is a forgiving recipe that is open to variations.  If you want it vegan it is great without the parmesan.  I am sure it would even work with arborio rice for the gluten free crowd.  We liked to add mushrooms and sometimes a handful of spinach at the end.  And I like using passata rather than tinned tomatoes.  Most of all I have learnt to use my wide flat metal eggflip (or spatula) to stir regularly.

You see, the best advice for making this pasta is: keep on stirring.  When I first made it, I found that the pasta would stick to the bottom in clumps and sometimes burn.  I now add a little extra water and stir it a lot.  And when I say stir I don't mean to for the eggflip to meander around the saucepan.  This is stirring with intent.  It is scraping all the orzo that is clinging to the bottom of the saucepan and making it move around with the rest of the mixture.  There is a "no resting on the bottom of the saucepan" rule here.

Here is one of our variations.  We tried it using tiny pasta.  Sometimes we like to wander the aisles of the Mediterranean Wholesalers in Brunswick and marvel at the variety of pasta in all sizes and shapes.  We also find that my favourite brand of AnnaLisa chickpeas are cheaper there than the ones at the supermarket.  Like everything the price of chickpeas has skyrocketed lately and now is up to $1.90 per 400g tin.  The orzo we buy is actually risoni and I still can't work out the difference but I say orzo in the recipe as it is a satisfying word to say.  We also used chives instead of basil or parsley.

It makes a lot.  I make it in my stockpot.  (Apologies if I use saucepan and stockpot interchangeably).  It is easy enough to make after work.  Coming home to a pot of leftover orzo is even easier than making it.  So quick and yet it brings to mind an Italian nona in a cosy kitchen serving up bowls of this to a big family.  This is home cooking at its best.

More comforting pasta recipes on Green Gourmet Giraffe blog:

Chickpea pilaf (gf, v)
Chickpea, potato and cauliflower curry (gf, v)
Chickpea, potato and tomato stew (gf, v) 
Chickpea and spinach soup (with noodles) (gf, v)
One pot pasta with chickpeas and zucchini (v)
Risoni with chickpeas, lemon, and mint (v)
Slow cooked smoky chickpeas (gf, v) 

Tomato orzo with chickpeas and mushrooms
Slightly adapted from The Kitchn
serves 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small brown onion, chopped
10-12 button mushrooms, chopped into quarters
500g dried orzo pasta (or risoni)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5-6 cups vegetable stock
700g bottle of passata (pureed tomatoes)
2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil or parsley

Heat oil over medium heat in a stockpot and fry onions for about 3-5 minutes until softened.  Add mushrooms and garlic.  Fry for another 5-10 minutes until softened.  

Stir in the orzo for a minute.  Add 5 cups of stock, passata, chickpeas and a little seasoning.  Cover, bring to the boil, keeping an eye on the mixture sticking to the bottom - I used my eggflip halfway through it coming to the boil to scrape the mixture off the bottom of the saucepan.  Then simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly - again I regularly scraped the bottom of the saucepan to stop the orzo sticking to the bottom.  Feel free to add more stock if it needs a bit more.  Especially if you will have leftovers because the orzo will absorb the moisture.  

When the orzo is cooked, stir in the parmesan.  Now check and adjust seasoning.  Serve with more grated parmesan and basil or parsley.

NOTES:

• Feel free to leave out mushrooms or add other vegies.  I think pumpkin would be great in this.
• I use water and stock powder to make my stock.
• To make it vegan, leave out the parmesan and either add vegan parmesan, nutritional yeast flakes or just extra seasoning.

On the Stereo:
Wild Type: Duece