Pesto Orzo with Roasted Broccoli & Chickpeas
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- chickpeas 2
- extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
- Kosher
- garlic cloves 2
- broccoli 1 lb
- orzo or other small pasta such as orecchiette 8 oz
- Spinach Pesto 16 tbsp
- small lemon 1
- nutritional yeast 1 tbsp
If you bought extra broccoli (1 1/2-2 lb), arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and another on the bottommost shelf and use two sheet pans; increase the oil and salt quantities in step 4 to adequately season the broccoli. Storage: Store the assembled orzo in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave until heated through. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice and good-quality olive oil if desired. Nutrition boost: For more protein, use whole wheat orzo or Brami or Goodles protein pasta; or, stir some hemp seeds into the pesto before tossing it with the pasta. For more veggies, use more broccoli (see Note). Shortcut: Skip roasting the broccoli and instead fill the large saucepan about ¾ full of water in step 2. In step 5, add the broccoli (florets only, no stems) to the pasta pot during the last 2 ½ minutes of cooking. Cook until pasta is just al dente and the broccoli is bright green and tender but with a bite. Save broccoli stems for another recipe, such as a stir-fry.
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1Gather: chickpeas , extra virgin olive oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, garlic cloves , broccoli , orzo or other small pasta such as orecchiette , Spinach Pesto , small lemon , nutritional yeast .
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2Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 425ºF / 220ºC.
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3Fill a large saucepan half full of water. Bring to a boil. Set a measuring cup inside a colander in the sink (as a reminder to save some pasta water).
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4Marinate the chickpeas. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add to a dish towel and pat dry very well. In a bowl, drizzle the chickpeas with 2-3 tsp of olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Using a microplane or grater, grate the garlic into the mix. Toss to combine. Taste, adding more salt, pepper, oil, or garlic as desired. Set aside to marinate.
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5Roast the broccoli. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss all the broccoli with 1 tbsp olive oil, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Toss to coat well. If needed, add more oil or salt. Spread out on the pan. Roast for 15 minutes , then remove the pan and toss the broccoli. Roast for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until tender and browned.
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6Cook the orzo. Once the water is boiling, season generously with salt ( timer tbsp kosher salt or 2 tsp sea salt). Add the orzo and cook until just al dente according to the box instructions. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the orzo (do not rinse).
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7While the orzo and broccoli cook, prepare your side salad (if you’re making one).
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8Return the orzo to its pot. Add the Spinach Pesto, a few squeezes of lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and 1/4 cup of pasta water. Toss with a silicone spatula until the orzo is evenly coated. Add more pasta water as needed to help the pesto coat the orzo. Fold in the marinated chickpeas. Season to taste with more lemon juice or salt as desired.
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9Divide among plates and top with the roasted broccoli. For added richness, drizzle the dish with good-quality olive oil. Serve with your side salad, if you made one.