Recipes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1.25 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 3-4 clove large garlic, grated (1 tablespoon)
- 0.25-0.5 teaspoon red pepper flake, crushed
- 1.5 pound cherry tomato
- 1 cup tightly packed leaves, plus 1 sprig fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1.25 cup water
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 0.666 cup grated, plus more for serving parmesan
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1.5 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Heat the olive oil (3 tablespoons) in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for about . Add the chopped shallot (1 large) and salt (1 teaspoon) and cook, stirring often, until the shallot is translucent and fragrant, . Add the grated garlic (3-4 cloves) and crushed red pepper (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about more.
- Add the cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 pounds), basil sprig, and water (1 1/4 cups), and cover the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and let cook, covered, until the tomatoes are very soft and easily burst when pressed with a wooden spoon or spatula, about .
- Use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to press the tomatoes against the side of the pot until all the tomatoes are broken down. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady yet gentle boil.
- Cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato liquid has thickened, slightly deepened in color, and reduced by about half, . The mixture will go from very brothy to a tomato soup-like texture.
- Stir in the orzo pasta (1 pound), vegetable broth (4 cups), and remaining salt (1/4 teaspoon), and bring to a boil over high heat, . Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring every minute or two and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking, until the orzo is tender and saucy, more.
- Remove the pot from the heat and discard the basil sprig. Stir in the grated Parmesan (2/3 cup), unsalted butter (1 tablespoon), fresh lemon juice (1 1/2 teaspoons), and chopped fresh basil (1 cup) until silky and evenly combined. Season to taste with salt as needed. Serve immediately, topped with more Parmesan as desired.