Inspired by the many mushroom varieties of Zagori in North Western Greece and the beautifully fresh oyster mushrooms available in Greek supermarkets, I created this dish which uses the medium sized orzo pasta we call kritharaki instead of rice. It was my contribution to a family celebration and everyone loved it!
Any orzo will do but the cooking time will defer. I always prefer to use the Greek kritharaki though as its rough edges help it absorb more of the flavour.
Ingredients (serves 6-8)
- 500g medium sized kritharaki
- 100g mixed dried mushrooms
- 500g fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced if too large
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
- 3 celery sticks, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 4-5 sprigs of thyme
- A small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 100ml dry white wine
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 150g parmesan cheese
Method
Start by soaking the dried mushrooms. Place in a bowl and top with boiling water. Leave to soak for 45 minutes to an hour.
Bring a large sauteing pan to a high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil and add the fresh mushrooms, garlic cloves and thyme. Fry quickly and transfer to a plate.
Bring the stock to a soft simmer.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and the onion and celery. Sweat the vegetables for a few minutes until translucent and add the spring onions and the kritharaki. Toss to coat with the oil for a couple of minutes. Strain the dried mushrooms and add to the pan adding the mushroom water to the pot of the simmering stock. Add the wine to the pasta and let it evaporate.
Start adding the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring all the time until the kritharaki is cooked to your liking. Add the cooked fresh mushrooms. The pasta should be creamy but hold a little as it will continue to cook after removing from the heat. If needed, continue cooking by adding some hot water.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the chopped parsley. Grate most of the parmesan and add to the kritharaki, slicing the rest using a vegetable peeler. Mix the grated parmesan into the kritharaki and serve. Top with the parmesan flakes.