Baked cod and orzo risotto

Orzo is a popular pasta in the Balkans and is often used as a substitute for rice.

Baked cod and orzo risotto. Credit: Smith Street Books / Émilie Franzo

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 3 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) juicy tomatoes, finely chopped
• 4 red capsicum (bell peppers), finely chopped
• 2 large leeks, finely chopped
• 3 tsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
• 500 ml (2 cups) passata (pureed tomatoes)
• 1 bunch oregano, leaves chopped
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• 200 ml (7 fl oz) white wine
• 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) skinless cod fillets
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) orzo, risoni or other small pasta
• grilled or baked lemon slices, to serve, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium–low heat and saute the onion for a few minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, paprika, cinnamon and sugar and briefly saute over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, capsicum (bell pepper), leek, tomato paste, passata, oregano and half the chopped parsley. Mix until well combined, then stir in the wine. Season with salt and pepper and leave to reduce over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Dry the fish fillets thoroughly, then season with salt and pepper. Place the fish in a baking dish and drizzle with the lemon juice. Pour the tomato mixture over the fish. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the dish from the oven, but leave the oven on.
6. While the fish is baking, add a good pinch of salt to a large saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Add the orzo and cook for three-quarters of the time indicated on the packet.
7. Drain the orzo and add it to the baking dish around the fish, making sure to submerge all the orzo in the sauce.
8. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking for 20–25 minutes until both the orzo and fish are cooked through and the orzo is soaked in the fish juices.
9. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley and, if desired, lemon slices.

Recipe and image from Ibrik: The Balkan Table by Ecaterina Paraschiv (Smith Street Books). Photographry by Émilie Franzo.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.