Kritharaki.
Comfort in a bowl.
Orzo, cooked in stock with fresh tomatoes, onion and cinnamon.
You can have it as it is, with some chicken or fish or with additional veggies such as squash or courgettes mixed through but whatever you go for is has to be topped with some grated halloumi and a sprinkling of mint.
And yes, after I took this I quadrupled the amount of halloumi on top.
It's very simple to make, keeps well and has all those comforting flavours I love.
Its easy to make more or less of this - just know for Orzo pasta its always 1 to 2 of orzo to water, so if you use 1 cup or orzo its 2 cups of water - i use a measuring jug, filling the jug up to a measurement line of orzo and then doubling that amount of stock
serves 5-6 as a side with a protein or 3-4 as a main on its own
1 onion chopped fine
2 carrots chopped fine
3 fresh tomatoes blitzed up
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 lemons worth of juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Orzo pasta - measured up to the 400ml line in a measuring jug (or around 2 cups)
800ml boiling water with either a chicken or vegetable stock cube dissolved in
1 250 block of halloumi - grated
Dried mint
1 - In a lidded saucepan melt a tabelspoon of butter or olive oil and once hot fry the onion and carrot for about 3-4 minutes till the onion starts to turn translucent.
2 - Pour in the fresh blitzed tomatoes, tomato paste, the lemon juice and cinnamon, along with some salt and pepper to personal taste and stir together.
3 - Stir in the Orzo pasta and make sure its all well coated and finally pour in the boiling water. Stir well until it all starts bubbling.
4 - Pop the lid on and turn down to a low simmer and leave for approx 10-15 minutes, until the orzo is soft and cooked through, if you find its too dry add in some more water a half cup at a time. I like it in a bit of a broth but its personal preference
5 - Top with a good handful of the grated halloumi and a pinch of the dried mint and enjoy hot.
Enjoy!