Description of Orzo pasta
This type of pasta is made in the shape and size of a grain of rice. In Italian Orzo means „Barey“ and it has some other names: kritharaki, manestra, rosa marina, reiskornpasta, or pasta gallo pion.
Although it is originated from Italy it is very popular in Greece and is widely used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Orzo is very versatile and can be used in a range of recipes, for example, you can make Orzo pasta salad. Clasically it is used in soups (traditional Greek soup Pilaf) instead of rice, baked casseroles and can be a filling for stuffed peppers and stuffed squash. Orzo pasta absorbs flavours very well and is some kind of filler. As well it can be eaten with butter or any other light sauce.
More about Orzo pasta
The best Orzo pasta is made from semolina wheat and other hard variety of wheat. Hard wheat helps pasta not to fall apart while cooking.
It is also possible to find coloured and flavoured Orzo (spinach Orzo is very popular). If mixed with beets, carrots, and other vegetables Orzo pasta can be very playful, like a rainbow.