 Uncooked orzo | |
| Alternative names | Risoni,pépinettes,piñones,ptitim,riewele |
|---|---|
| Type | Pasta |
| Place of origin | Mediterranean Basin |
| Main ingredients | Durum wheat |
Orzo (/ˈɔːrzoʊ,ˈɔːrtsoʊ/,[1][2][3]Italian:[ˈɔrdzo];lit. 'barley'; fromLatinhordeum), also known in Italy asrisoni (Italian:[riˈzoːni]; 'large [grains of] rice'), and popular in Greek cuisine askritharaki (κριθαράκι), is a form of short-cutpasta shaped like a large grain ofrice.[4] Orzo is traditionally made from flour,[5] but it can also be made of whole grain. It is often made withsemolina, a type of flour made fromdurum wheat.
The nameorzo is common for this pasta shape in North America, but less so in Italy, where the word usually still means 'barley'.[citation needed]
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There are many different ways to serve orzo. It can be an ingredient in soup,[4] includingavgolemono, aGreek soup,[6] and in Italian soups, such asminestrone. It can also be part of asalad, apilaf, orgiouvetsi, or baked in acasserole.[7][4]
It can also be boiled and lightly fried, to create a dish similar torisotto.[citation needed][8]
When the pasta is made, orzo can be colored bysaffron, chilies, and black beans to yield yellow, orange, or black pasta.[citation needed]
Orzo is essentially identical to theκριθαράκι (kritharáki,lit. 'little barley'), orμανέστρα (manestra when in soup) inGreek cuisine,arpa şehriye (lit. 'barley noodle') inTurkish cooking, andلسان العصفور (lisān al-ʿaṣfūr,lit. 'bird tongue') inEgyptian cooking. InSpain, the equivalent pasta is calledpiñones (also theSpanish word for 'pine nuts', which orzo resembles[9]) orgurullos.[10]Ptitim is a rice-grain-shaped pasta developed in the 1950s inIsrael as a substitute for rice.[11]
It is also part of the traditional cuisine of easternFrance, fromLorraine toProvence, where orzo is calledpépinettes orriewele depending on the region. InAlsace, orzo is typically served in a chicken broth.[12]
Media related toOrzo at Wikimedia Commons
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 | ThisItalian cuisine–related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | ThisGreek cuisine-related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
