Crafts and Life

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 300g/10½oz cherry tomatoes
• 1½ tbsp tomato purée (optional)
• 570g jar or 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 200g/7oz dried orzo
• 800ml/1½ pint vegetable stock or water
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• large handful fresh basil, to serve
• Parmesan or vegetarian alternative hard cheese, finely grated, to serve
• extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chilli flakes and fennel seeds and cook for 30 seconds, then add the garlic. Cook gently for another minute and a half, or until fragrant.
2. Tip in the tomatoes, add the tomato purée, if using (this just makes the sauce extra tomatoey), and increase the heat slightly. Cook for 5–6 minutes, pressing the tomatoes gently with the back of a spoon until they begin to blister and burst. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add the chickpeas and orzo to the pan and stir to coat in the tomatoes. Pour over the stock or water. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a simmer, stirring regularly for 10–12 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid. Add a splash more water if it starts to stick before the orzo is done. Season with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, ladle into two bowls. Scatter over the basil and finish with the Parmesan and a drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 2 – taken from bbc.co.uk

NB – we found this to be LOT of food, so either take it as serving 3-4 or we thought next time we would decrease the Orzo and stock amounts.