Odds-and-ends baked orzo with ricotta

Name: Odds-and-ends baked orzo with ricotta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 350 g raw vegetables (such as roots, leeks, sprouts, broccoli); 1 shallot or 3 salad onions, finely sliced; 1 tbsp Essential Olive Oil; 350 g orzo; 2 clove/s garlic, crushed; 3 sprig/s thyme, sage or rosemary; ½ tsp salt; 300 g leftover roast lamb; 2 tbsp leftover jarred harissa, pesto or zhoug; 4 tbsp ricotta, soft goat’s cheese, or mascarpone; handful/s soft herbs (chives, basil or parsley), roughly chopped (optional)

Plump, risotto-esque orzo makes a brilliant base for this dinner, which combines lamb with whatever veg, herbs, jarred sauces and cheese you happen to have in the fridge.

4 out of 5 stars(1) Rate this recipe

HealthyLow in saturated fat1 of your 5 a day

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook40 mins
Total time55 mins
Plusresting

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350g raw vegetables (such as roots, leeks, sprouts, broccoli)
1 shallot or 3 salad onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp Essential Olive Oil
350g orzo
2 clove/s garlic, crushed
3 sprig/s thyme, sage or rosemary
½ tsp salt
300g leftover roast lamb
2 tbsp leftover jarred harissa, pesto or zhoug
4 tbsp ricotta, soft goat’s cheese, or mascarpone
handful/s soft herbs (chives, basil or parsley), roughly chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 160ºC, gas mark 3. Trim and cut the raw veg into bitesized pieces. In a high-sided roasting tin (around 30x20x8cm), mix together the veg, shallot or salad onions and oil. Season, then roast for 5 minutes, or 15 minutes if using root veg.
Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Stir the orzo through the roasted veg, then add the garlic, herb sprigs, salt and 700ml just-boiled water. Stir everything together then roast 15 minutes more. Cut the lamb into bitesized pieces.
Add the meat to the roasting tin and cook for a final 5-10 minutes until the meat is piping hot, the water has been absorbed and the orzo is tender. Cover with foil, then leave to rest for 5 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs from the tin, then stir through the jarred paste. Spoon over the cheese, scatter over the soft herbs, if using, and serve.