If you’ve got a leftover pumpkin around Halloween (I heard that usually that week 18,000 tonnes of pumpkin are wasted in the UK!) which is pretty shocking, then this is the perfect way to use them up! The addition of the tahini dressing makes it super creamy and delicious, and who doesn’t love a crispy sage leaf?
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2:
200g orzo
750g pumpkin, cubed
1 onion, diced
800ml boiling vegetable stock
A packet of sage leaves
A handful of pine nuts
A generous squeeze of tahini & lime
A knob of butter
Parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 220c. Pop the pumpkin onto a baking tray and roast in the oven for around 30 mins, or until getting nice and golden and soft.
2. Add some oil to a large frying pan, and add your onion. Sauté for 5-10 mins until softening and turning golden brown. Add your orzo and fry with the onions for a couple of mins, you want it to get some colour (this is key!)
3. Then slowly start adding your stock, one ladle at a time, and stir thoroughly between each ladle, making sure all of the stock is absorbed before adding another ladle. You may not need all of the stock, see how you go.
4. When the pumpkin is cooked, add half of it to a blender and add a good squeeze of your tahini and lime dressing. Blitz until smooth, and then stir it through your orzo once it’s absorbed all the stock and cooked. Stir well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, toast your pine nuts, and make your crispy sage leaves by frying them in a knob of butter for 1-2 mins.
6. Assemble your orzotto into bowls, and top with the rest of the crispy pumpkin, crispy sage leaves, pine nuts and drizzle with more of the tahini & lime dressing. Enjoy !
