Creamy Orzo

By t1bishop

Ingredients

• 1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained
• chicken broth
• paprika
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream or lighter version evaporated skim milk
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a heavy large saucepan of chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add the
orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Add paprika to taste. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, and serve.