Creamy Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Risoni (Orzo)

Name: Creamy Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Risoni (Orzo)
Ingredients: 250g/ 8oz risoni pasta (orzo) (, or other very small pasta (tiny stars, novelty shapes like dinosaurs, ditalini); 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (, for cooking the pasta); 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 red onion (, halved then cut into 5mm / 0.2" slices (sub regular onion); 2 garlic cloves (, finely minced); 310g/ 10oz jar chargrilled / fire-roasted sliced red capsicum/peppers; 2 cups tomato passata or puree (Note 2); 1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives ( or other briny/pickly thing (like pickles, chopped); 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 120g/4 oz goat's cheese (, the creamy feta type (Note 3); 1 tightly packed cup basil leaves; 1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley (, plus extra for garnish)

As seen on

RecipeTin Eats

Total Time

20 minutes

Prep Time

7 minutes

Cook Time

13 minutes

Rating

(11)

Ingredients

4 servings

250g/ 8oz risoni pasta (orzo) (, or other very small pasta (tiny stars, novelty shapes like dinosaurs, ditalini)
2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (, for cooking the pasta)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion (, halved then cut into 5mm / 0.2" slices (sub regular onion)
2 garlic cloves (, finely minced)
310g/ 10oz jar chargrilled / fire-roasted sliced red capsicum/peppers
2 cups tomato passata or puree (Note 2)
1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives ( or other briny/pickly thing (like pickles, chopped)
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
120g/4 oz goat's cheese (, the creamy feta type (Note 3)
1 tightly packed cup basil leaves
1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley (, plus extra for garnish)

Beginner Vegetarian Dairy Pasta ...

How would you rate this recipe?

Preparation

Inline ingredients (beta)

Cook mode (keeps screen awake)

Click to complete

Step 1

Boil risoni - Bring a small pot or large saucepan of water to the boil. Add salt and cook risoni until just under al dente (ie still a bit firm inside) as it will cook more in the sauce. 8 minutes for me.

Step 2

Drain & rinse - Just before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain, rinse briefly under the tap then leave the risoni in the colander while you finish the sauce.

Step 3

Sauté - Heat the oil in a large non stick skillet (30cm/12") over high heat. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic and capsicum strips. Cook for 2 minutes until the onion is softened.

Step 4

Simmer - Add tomato and olives. Bring to a simmer, lower heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Step 5

Melt goat cheese - Add cooked risoni, salt, pepper and the pasta cooking water. Stir to combine. Add most of the goat's cheese (reserve some for garnish), stir so it melts.

Step 6

Basil & serve - Stir through basil or parsley just before serving. Divide between bowls. Crumble over reserved goat's cheese, sprinkle with extra basil. Dig in with a spoon!