Georgina Hayden shares a quick and easy recipe for caponata orzotto, combining the glossy, sweet-sour flavours of caponata with the convenience of orzo pasta. The dish is ready in 35 minutes and serves four.
The inspiration behind the dish
Hayden recalls a core caponata memory from her first visit to the Globe Theatre in London, where a huge pan of freshly stewing caponata was on display. She regretted not ordering it, but has since enjoyed many versions. Now, she incorporates the essence of caponata into a weeknight orzotto.
Ingredients and preparation
Prep time is 5 minutes, cook time 35 minutes. Ingredients include 2 aubergines, 40g pine nuts, olive oil, 2 red onions, sea salt, black pepper, 2 garlic cloves, ½ tsp dried red chilli flakes, 1 tsp caster sugar, 300g orzo, 500g passata, 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar, 2 tbsp capers, and ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley or mint.
Step-by-step cooking instructions
Trim the aubergines, peel off most of the skin, and cut into 1-2cm pieces. Dry-toast the pine nuts in a wide, deep sauté pan or casserole over medium heat until lightly golden, then set aside. Add four tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pan, then add the red onions and chopped aubergines. Season generously and fry, stirring often, for 10 minutes until tender and slightly golden. Add a little more olive oil, then stir in the garlic, chilli flakes, and sugar, and fry for another couple of minutes.
Stir in the orzo, passata, vinegar, and 700ml just-boiled water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 12 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until the orzo is cooked but still slightly oozy (the mix will thicken as it cools; add extra boiling water if too thick). Taste and check seasoning.
Serving suggestions
Serve scattered with the toasted pine nuts, capers, and chopped herbs. Optionally, finish with fresh crumbled ricotta or a grating of salted ricotta.
