bohemianwanderer – This aubergine and orzo dish combines tender vegetables, tomato sauce, herbs and toasted pine nuts in one pan. The recipe takes five minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook. It serves four people and uses simple ingredients to create a rich and filling meal.
The recipe uses two aubergines, which are trimmed before most of their skin is removed. The flesh is then cut into pieces measuring approximately 1-2cm. Two red onions are finely chopped to provide the base of the dish. Garlic, dried chilli flakes and caster sugar add additional flavour to the vegetable mixture.
The dish also includes 300g of orzo and 500g of passata. Add one tablespoon of red-wine vinegar to bring acidity to the tomato sauce. Use two tablespoons of capers for a salty contrast, while half a bunch of flat-leaf parsley adds freshness. You can use mint instead of parsley if preferred.
Begin by heating a wide, deep sauté pan or casserole over medium heat. Dry-toast the pine nuts in the pan until they turn lightly golden. Transfer them to a plate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Add four tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pan, followed by the red onions and chopped aubergines. Season the vegetables generously with sea salt and black pepper. Fry them for approximately 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Cook the aubergines and onions until they become tender and slightly golden. Add a little more olive oil if the pan becomes too dry. Stir the chopped garlic, chilli flakes and caster sugar into the vegetables.
Tomato Orzo Simmered With Aubergine, Capers and Fresh Herbs
Stir the orzo directly into the cooked aubergine mixture. Add the passata, red-wine vinegar and 700ml of just-boiled water. Mix everything thoroughly, then bring the liquid to a boil.
Once the mixture boils, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan and cook the mixture for approximately 12 minutes. Stir it a couple of times during cooking to prevent the orzo from sticking.
Cook the orzo until it becomes tender while retaining a slightly loose and creamy consistency. The mixture will naturally thicken as it cools, so avoid letting it become excessively dry during cooking. Add more boiling water if necessary while the orzo simmers.
Once the orzo reaches the desired texture, taste the dish and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt or black pepper according to your preference. The red-wine vinegar should provide enough acidity to balance the richness of the vegetables and tomato sauce.
Serve the finished dish directly from the pan while it remains warm. Scatter toasted pine nuts over each portion to add crunch. Add two tablespoons of capers for extra saltiness and contrast against the sweet tomato sauce.
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The final garnish is made with finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or mint. The herbs add freshness to the warm tomato and aubergine mixture. Their flavour also helps balance the richer ingredients used throughout the dish.
The one-pot cooking method keeps the preparation relatively straightforward. The aubergines and onions are softened before the orzo is cooked directly in the same pan. This allows the pasta to absorb the tomato sauce and flavours released by the vegetables.
