All-in-one roasted tomato orzo with black pepper & bay from the Green Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer

This simple dish allows the concentrated flavour of the roasted tomatoes to really infuse into the pasta, packing an intense flavour hit. An elegant, risotto-like dinner – easily one of my most popular recipes.

Prep 10min

Cook 20min

 Ingredients

200g orzo

400ml vegetable stock

400g cherry tomatoes on the vine, halved (save the vines)

½ red onion, very finely chopped

2 bay leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

A good handful of fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

 Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/ gas 6. Mix the orzo with the vegetable stock in a deep roasting tin and lay the vines over the top. (The tomato flavour will infuse into the stock.)

Arrange the cherry tomatoes in an even layer over the orzo, then scatter with the red onion, bay leaves, plenty of black pepper and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. 

As soon as the orzo is cooked (the pasta should be just al dente), remove the vines and stir through the extra virgin olive oil, another teaspoon of sea salt and the herbs. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed, and add a little dash more stock if you like. Serve immediately.