A one-pan bowl of pleasure, full of warm spicy, tomato-y flavours
When you need a simple, tasty dish to feed the hungry, this one pan lamb meatballs in tomato and pepper orzo, is the one I go to.
- SERVES: 4
- PREP TIME: 15 mins
- COOKING TIME: 25 mins
- DIFFICULTY: easy
- IDEAL FOR: midweek meal, weekend meal, crowd-pleaser
- BUDGET: £
What is Harissa paste
Harissa is a hot chilli paste that originated in Tunisia, North Africa.
It is often added to dishes like stews to add vibrant red colour and some heat.
What is harissa paste made of
The ingredients for harissa paste are pretty simple- red chilies, garlic, oil, an acid (vinegar & lemon juice), and spices.
But you can substitute harissa paste with things including:
- Fresh Chopped Red Chilli + Carraway Seeds
- Hot Sauce e.g. Tabasco, sriracha,
- Korean Gochujang
What is orzo
The translation of orzo is ‘barley’ and is made from durum wheat (ground semolina) but looks like grain when unprocessed.
It’s a rice-shaped pasta that can be used as pasta or cooked used a bit like rice.
You’ll mainly come across it in soups or salads.
Orzo is categorised in the pasta world as ‘pastina’ meaning little pasta.
How to cook orzo
It’s pretty simple to cook and being small means you can’t really get it too wrong.
Just cook orzo as you normally would for pasta – salted boiling water, simmer for 8 – 10 mins.
Or as in this pot roast, simply add it to the chicken dish 15 mins before it’s done and let it absorb the lovely chicken stock and chicken juices.
What can you substitute orzo
Rice, pastina, risi.
Lamb meatballs in tomato and pepper orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 red peppers, thinly sliced into strips
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 medium egg
- 500 g grass-fed or high welfare lamb mince
- 500 ml passata (or tinned tomatoes)
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp rose Harissa or similar
- 1 tsp oregano
- 300 g orzo
- 125 g mozzarella, torn
Instructions
- In a large deep pan, add some oil on medium heat and cook the onions until softened, then add the sliced peppers and on a lower heat, let slowly cook while you make the meatballs.
- In a large bowl, add the lamb mince, egg, garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper for seasoning, and oregano.Using your hands, gently combine then make meatballs approx the size of a golf ball.
- In the pan, move the onion and peppers to the side and add the meatballs, turning until they are browned all over (you may need to batch cook them if your pan isn't large enough).Once done, add all the cooked meatballs back into the pan and add the passata, harissa, stock, orzo and bring to a gentle simmer. Pop the lid on and leave for approx. 10 mins
- Remove the lid and add torn pieces of mozzarella and chopped parsley. Serve.
Video
References: AlsoTheCrumbsPlease
