Red pepper orzo recipe

Name: Red pepper orzo
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 4 red peppers, halved and deseeded; olive oil; 2 tbsp pecan nuts; 1 garlic clove; 8 basil leaves; 40g (1 1/2oz) Parmesan, grated, plus shavings to serve; 200g (7oz) orzo pasta; 1 aubergine, diced

This easy-to-make orzo pasta combined with smoky red peppers, pesto and pecan nuts makes for the perfect vegetarian dish.

See method

Serves 2
10 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook
390 calories / serving

Vegetarian

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Tesco Red Peppers Each
This product's currently out of stock
Aldi Price Match
4 red peppers, halved and deseeded
Tesco Olive Oil 250Ml
olive oil
£3.10
£12.40/litre
Tesco Pecan Nuts 150g
2 tbsp pecan nuts
£3.30
£22.00/kg
Tesco Large Garlic
1 garlic clove
£0.50
£0.50/each
Tesco Fresh Cut Basil 30G
Aldi Price Match
8 basil leaves
£0.50
£16.67/kg
Creamfields Grated Grana Padano 100G
40g (1 1/2oz) Parmesan, grated, plus shavings to serve
£1.65
£16.50/kg
Napolina Orzo Pasta 500g
200g (7oz) orzo pasta
£1.50
£3.00/kg
Tesco Aubergine Each
Aldi Price Match
1 aubergine, diced
£0.95
£0.95/each

Method

Preheat the oven to gas 9, 240°C, fan 220°C. Rub the flesh of the peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper and place flat on a baking tray. Roast until the skin blackens slightly, approximately 15 minutes.
Put the roasted peppers into a small food processor, with the pecan nuts, garlic, and a handful of grated Parmesan. Blitz the mixture until almost smooth.
Boil a pan of salted water and tip in the orzo. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until just soft. Drain, saving a little of the pasta water.
While the orzo is cooking, heat a little oil in another pan and add the diced aubergine. Brown the aubergine well, without moving it often. Stir in the pepper sauce.
Tip the pasta in with the aubergine. Stir everything together and add a little of the pasta water to loosen it. Serve the pasta with some shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.