Creamy Orzotto

With spicy Italian sausage, fennel & broccoli.

This dish is made by using the same method as risotto but utilizing orzo pasta in place of Arborio rice. It has a lovely balance of flavors that seem to activate all of your taste buds. If you don't like spicy or your kids don't like spicy - you can easily sub out the spicy sausage for regular Italian. Depending on sensitivity, you can leave in the red pepper flakes or serve it one the side. This is one of my favorite ways to use orzo next to a Greek style pasta salad!

Ingredients:

14 Oz. Spicy Vegan Italian Sausage

2 Bulbs Fennel, diced

1/2 Red Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 tsp. Thyme, chopped

1# Orzo Pasta

1/2 Cup White Wine

4 Cups Vegetable Broth, heated

1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast (or parm)

1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped

Zest of 1 Lemon

2 Tbsp. Butter or Olive Oil (optional)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

4 Cups Broccoli, cut

Juice 1/2 Lemon

1 Garlic Clove, minced

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Method:

Slice the sausage and sauté with a little oil, in a large pan over medium heat to get some caramelization. Remove from the pan.

Add fennel and onions and cook until they soften. Add garlic, thyme and red pepper. Sauté another minute.

Next add orzo and stir a minute, then, add wine and cook until the wine is almost gone, constantly stirring. Then, add one cup of broth at a time and let it boil on high heat. stir occasionally. Continue adding one cup of broth as the previous is soaked up by the pasta, continue stirring.

On the last cup, add the yeast, lemon and parsley as well. Cook until most of the liquid has absorbed. Take off the heat. Add butter or oil, if desired.

In a separate pan, sauté broccoli in a little oil with some salt and pepper. When it is ready, add garlic and cook a minute, then add lemon Juice. Add to the pasta.

Enjoy!