Risoni is also known as risi or orzo, but whatever you want to call it, just don't call it rice. Like most pasta, risoni is made from a mix of durum flour, semolina and water. Its small shape is ideal for adding bulk to soups and stews - you simply add it to the dish raw during the last 10 minutes of cooking. It's also a treat when added to a salad or used to stuff eggplants, capsicums or zucchinis.
Try one of these ways to dance the risoni.
Silvia Colloca's quick risoni “risotto” takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Source: Cook like an Italian
Lamb-wrapped quail eggs nest in a saffron and tomato risoni base. Source: Shane Delia
Beef and orzo casserole will warm your very toes. Source: One World Kitchen
For a gluten-free variation of risoni, look for rice flour-based orzo, which is available at health food stores. Source: Benito Martin
You can make this lentil soup the day before you need it. Leave the risoni out until it's time to reheat on the day. Source: Benito Martin
Joe's chicken and risoni dish is packed with vegetables like onion, zucchini, eggplant, herbs and tomato. Source: Maja Smend
"I have a special fondness for risoni," says O Tama Carey. "It’s an ingredient I turn to for comfort yet it has a lovely lightness to it." Source: Sharyn Cairns
