Orzo is the Italian word for barley and also the name Greeks often use for the small, grain-shaped pasta that Italians call risoni (meaning rice). So I guess one man’s rice is another man’s barley. Orzo is also known as kritharaki in Greece, meaning ‘little barley’, and is typically added to giouvetsi, a meat and tomato stew, towards the end of the cooking so it soaks up the sauce and thickens the dish. I learned to make this simple Greek side dish of orzo with green onion from my friend Janni Kyritsis (see video below). I serve it with slow-cooked lamb, baked spatchcock, and many other things. It’s so deliciously simple I’m sure you’ll be serving it with everything; leftovers reheat well too. Use as much of the green onion as you can, not just the white section, it all adds flavour and colour.
Serves 12 as a side dish
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