Nigellas pasta risotto with bacon and peas (slimming world friendly)
I love Nigella Lawson and her recipes, She is an amazing woman who I was lucky enough to meet at a book signing and she was so gracious and lovely and yes she is as beautiful if not more so in real life *sigh* and although a lot of her recipes can be high in fat and syns but some like this one can also be adapted quite easily to make them more slimming world friendly.
Her original recipe called for pancetta and garlic oil both which are high in syns so I substituted lean back bacon and garlic and used a little spray oil and vegetable stock instead of water for more flavour. I had seen orzo used in some recipes but never tried it before and thought it would be a hard to find ingredient but I found it in my local ASDA. It is pasta but is shaped like a rice grain and cooks like pasta, Usually in a risotto you have to stand over it and stir for ages ladling stock and stirring each time but this one you add all the water at the same time and just need to stir it occasionally while it simmers.
This recipe serves two adults generously and is syn free : )
Nigellas pasta risotto with bacon and peas
250g orzo
150g frozen peas
150g lean bacon (chopped all fat removed)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
600ml vegetable stock (boiling hot made from a cube is fine, you might need a bit more. )
low calorie spray oil
freshly ground pepper
Spray a large saucepan with spray oil and add the bacon and garlic and fry over a moderate heat for a few minutes then add the peas and fry for a few more minutes.
Her original recipe called for pancetta and garlic oil both which are high in syns so I substituted lean back bacon and garlic and used a little spray oil and vegetable stock instead of water for more flavour. I had seen orzo used in some recipes but never tried it before and thought it would be a hard to find ingredient but I found it in my local ASDA. It is pasta but is shaped like a rice grain and cooks like pasta, Usually in a risotto you have to stand over it and stir for ages ladling stock and stirring each time but this one you add all the water at the same time and just need to stir it occasionally while it simmers.
This recipe serves two adults generously and is syn free : )
Nigellas pasta risotto with bacon and peas
250g orzo
150g frozen peas
150g lean bacon (chopped all fat removed)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
600ml vegetable stock (boiling hot made from a cube is fine, you might need a bit more. )
low calorie spray oil
freshly ground pepper
Spray a large saucepan with spray oil and add the bacon and garlic and fry over a moderate heat for a few minutes then add the peas and fry for a few more minutes.
Add the orzo and the stock and stir well, Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste to see if pasta is cooked should still be a little firm most of the water should have been absorbed leaving the risotto quite creamy. If it is still not cooked add a little more water and cook for another couple of minutes.
Season with the pepper and serve immediately.
