Looking for an Italian recipe About This Page:

[Starbright]

Hi!
When we were away, we had a delicious Italian dish. I think it was Rotini. It was the small rice size pasta. Is that what it is called So good. Has anyone cooked with this? It was in a white sauce, not too spicy and no meat.
Anyone have any recipes for this??????

Thankyou!!!

[lauriep]

I think the rice-shaped pasta you had was "orzo"? Do you remember any of the flavors in the sauce? Did it have cheese, spinach or other vegetables that you could recognize? Do you know if it was baked with the sauce or just cooked and mixed in? I cook with orzo a lot (LOVE it!) but without a bit more info, am not sure what you're looking for. You can also go to a site like epicurious.com and do a recipe search for "orzo".

[rella]

Rotini is a pasta shape/type......do you think it could be risotto, which is a rice dish ?

[WDWJAMBA]

If it was risotto, it's made with Arborio rice which is a short stubby grain of rice. It has a high starch content which helps to create the creamy texture risotto is known for.

[JerseyDad]

....Rotini is the tightly wound "corkscrew" shaped pasta (great for holding onto whatever sauce you put on it)

....if it was an Orzo dish...perhaps it was in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce? That's a pretty popular treatment for orzo when you want to do a pasta alternative to a risotto (rice). Usually...you cook the pasta for about 8-9 minutes so it's still slightly firm (drain it but reserve the cooking water)....then toss the orzo with grated Parmesan cheese (although I prefer grated Peccorino Romano)...and you can add a chopped onion or shallot....maybe a chopped clove of garlic that was sauteed in olive oil.....some thawed frozen peas...and perhaps some chopped tomato. Mix it all together....and add some heavy cream (half-n-half works too)....if it's too "stiff" add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water (which has starch in it)...to make it more loose...but still have the desired creamy consistency. Serve with a little chopped parsley on top..and some fresh ground black pepper.

....if it was Risotto...the cooking procedure is more extensive....but oh so worthwhile....especially with the below recipe. It's the mushroom risotto that's served in Le Cellier in Epcot......my daughter's favorite thing that they serve.


Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

1/2 pound mushrooms, roasted
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
to taste- kosher salt
to taste- fresh cracked pepper
4 tablespoons whole butter
1 small onion
1 pound Arborio rice
7 cups beef stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Clean mushrooms and toss with enough olive oil just to coat. Add the minced garlic and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place on parchment lined sheet pan and roast in 375 oven for 20 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a deep six quart heavy pan, melt 2 -3 Tbs of butter over medium low heat.
4. Saute the onions, seasoning with salt and pepper, until soft and clear.
5. Raise the heat to medium and add the rice.
6. Cook for about three minutes, stirring frequently until it looks chalky and a white dot is clearly visible in the center of each grain.
7. Meanwhile, bring your beef stock to a simmer.
8. Heat the cream and keep it on low to keep warm.
9. Begin to add the beef stock one cup at a time, simmering and stirring until each addition has been absorbed by the rice before adding the next.
10. After all of the beef stock has been added, fold in the roasted mushrooms. Begin adding the cream, 1/2 cup at a time and begin tasting.
11. When ready, rice should be close to tender, but with a little more firmness to the bite. It should be slightly loose, with a creamy consistency. Never overcook to mush.
12. Remove pan from the heat and fold in the remaining butter and parmesan cheese.
13. Allow the risotto to rest for a couple of minutes, then enjoy!

[Nickolas]

This is great thread actually i was also looking for an Italian recipe and i get
many ideas from this thread thanks also from me

[Nickolas]

This is great thread actually i was also looking for an Italian recipe and i get
many ideas from this thread thanks also from me