When it comes to cooking and following the recipe. I sometimes look into a recipe to much. That is what usually can turn me away from making some recipes. Once I see an ingredient that I am not sure of or exactly where to find it in a grocery store, I usually will turn it away.
This Rice Pilaf dish at first was one of those recipes. The first ingredient that it calls for is Rosa Marina Pasta. At first I just assumed it would be next to all the other types of Barilla Pasta in the grocery store. Come to find out it was not. Then I went to, two other Italian specialty stores that carry strictly Italian ingredients. I even had an employee at the store searching the shelves for Rosa Marina. Well with the Internet today, "Google" should have been my first place to look. If it was not for Google, how could you ever get questions answered that you have no clue of.
So I "googled" Rosa marina pasta. Come to find out Rosamarina or Rosa marina pasta is basically identified as a synonym for orzo, which may also be called manestra.
Well now that is better. Orzo here I come.
Your first step in this recipe is going to get your the golden brown rice you will need in rice pilaf. You will brown the orzo in butter until it is brown. It is pretty neat to see the transformation.
The Orzo starts off the same color as a normal long grain rice. Once it is done you will notice the big difference in color.
Now you can combine the rest of your ingredients. The recipe does call for white rice, I decided to use brown rice. It does not change much. The taste of the final recipe is just as good but healthier.
You will continue to stir and cook the rice and pasta together in the chicken broth. Until the chicken broth is totally absorbed and the rice is nice and tender. This recipe takes about 15-20 minutes to make. So if you are making a dish to go along with it, time it well, so your rice is nice and hot and ready to serve along with the other dish.
This is a great side dish to serve along with any type of dinner or lunch. It is easy and quick and it tastes even better heated up the next day. I hope you try this Rice Pilaf dish once your purchase your own cookbook!!
Remember November 20, 2010 and December 4, 2010
There will be a table set up at the Fashion Outlets Mall in Niagara Falls, NY from 10am-8pm selling "A Stir in The Mist" Taste and Traditions of Niagara Falls, NY!!