Manestra - Greek Orzo With Tomato Sauce
Manestra, a Greek-style risotto dish, is made with orzo and cooked in a delicious, lightly spiced tomato sauce, perfect as a main or side.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil because you wanna start with good fat
- 1 medium-sized red onion finely chopped to get that sweet base
- 1 garlic clove chopped, adding just the right punch
- 250 grams orzo medium-sized, which soaks up all the sauce nicely
- 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste for that tangy tomato backbone
- 70 ml red wine adding richness and a little bite
- 3 ripe medium-sized tomatoes chopped to give fresh sweetness
- ⅔ teaspoon sugar to balance the acidity
- 6 allspice
- 2 dried bay leaves for a subtle warm depth
- 1 liter hot water or vegetable or beef stock to simmer everything together
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in your pressure cooker on medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped red onion and cook until translucent and soft.
- Toss in chopped garlic and stir for about a minute, keeping it moving to prevent burning.
- Add orzo, stirring so every grain is coated with oil.
- Stir in tomato paste, red wine, and chopped tomatoes. Mix well.
- Add sugar, allspice, bay leaves, then season with salt and pepper. Pour in hot water or stock.
- Lock the pressure cooker lid, cooking on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then perform a quick release. Stir and remove bay leaves and allspice. Let rest before serving.
Notes
Serve orzo with crumbled feta cheese for extra flavor. Store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the fridge.