This is definitely not the first time or the last time you’ll see a recipe for a peas & pancetta orzo, but mine is a little different than the others I’ve tried because of the lemon & mint. An easy weeknight dinner, a quick starter for your dinner party or a satisfying lunch, I make this regularly and I don’t intend to stop now. The beauty of this recipe is that it uses ingredients that you’re likely to have already or that will last a long time, so you can keep these things on hand for whenever you need something fast and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (plain, lemon or garlic flavoured will work)
- 150g pancetta cubes
- Zest & juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 150g frozen petit pois
- 250g orzo pasta
- 600ml boiling water
- Sea salt flakes
- Knob of butter
- 35g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
- heat the oil in a large casserole or pan with a lid on medium high. Add the pancetta cubes and cook, stirring until crisp and golden.
- Add the lemon zest, chilli flakes and dried mint. Stir and cook for another minute or so.
- Pour in the lemon juice and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to bring up all the sticky bacony bits from the pan.
- Add the petit pois and stir them around the pan until they start to melt and lose their frosty look.
- Add the orzo and stir until it’s coated with the juices in the pan and mixed in with the peas & pancetta. Pour in the boiling water, add some salt and give it a stir. Reduce the heat to low, pop on the lid and leave it to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring about halfway through to prevent sticking.
- It’s ready when the pasta is soft, having absorbed all the water. Stir in the knob of butter and parmesan until melted. Serve hot with a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper.
