NewsBite

Advertisement
Good Food logo

RecipeTin Eats’ easy Mediterranean risoni with meltingly creamy goat’s cheese

RecipeTin Eats
RecipeTin Eats

Advertisement
Stir the goat’s cheese through the risoni and crumble some on top, too.
Stir the goat’s cheese through the risoni and crumble some on top, too.Rob Palmer STYLING Emma Knowles

Here’s a quick risoni dish that’s easy to make but a little bit special thanks to some goat’s cheese stirred through the pasta, which makes it beautifully creamy. The cheese’s distinctive, mild flavour with a touch of tang works perfectly with these Mediterranean flavours. Definitely one of those dishes that’s fast, yet company-worthy.

SOS checklist

  • Fewer than 12 ingredients (excluding oil, salt, pepper and water) ✔
  • Less than $20 for 4 servings ✔
  • Less than 30 minutes ✔
Advertisement

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp cooking salt

  • 250g risoni pasta

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 red onion (1 small or ½ large), halved then cut into 4mm slices

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced

  • 1 jar (310g) roasted sliced red capsicum (1 cup), drained then chopped into 3cm pieces

  • 1 pinch saffron threads (optional, see note)

  • 2 cups tomato passata

  • ½ cup (75g) sliced kalamata olives

  • ¼ tsp cooking salt

  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to serve

  • 100g goat’s cheese, crumbled (see note)

Method

  1. Step 1

    Bring 3 litres of water to the boil. Add the 1 tablespoon of salt and risoni and cook the pasta according to packet instructions minus 2 minutes. Save ½ cup cooking water and set aside for later.

  2. Step 2

    Once the risoni is cooked, strain, rinse under cold water and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Mix gently then set aside (tip: you can leave it in the colander).

  3. Step 3

    Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (30cm) nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft.

  4. Step 4

    Add garlic, capsicum and saffron, if using. Cook for 2 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Add tomato passata, bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Add the cooked risoni, olives, ¼ teaspoon salt, parsley and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir until all combined. Add most of the goat’s cheese, reserving some for garnish, and stir through until it melts.

  7. Step 7

    Divide risoni between bowls. Crumble over the remaining goat’s cheese, scatter with parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Goat’s cheese has a distinctive creamy texture with a mild flavour that is a bit tangy. It melts beautifully into sauces, and this is what makes this dish taste special even though it’s so quick and easy to make.
  • Speaking of special, a pinch of saffron threads adds a warm yellow hue and subtle background flavour into this dish. However, you can substitute with ¼ tsp imitation saffron powder or just omit it. It’s still great without.

The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.

Sign up
RecipeTin EatsRecipeTin Eats aka Nagi Maehashi is a Good Food columnist, bestselling cookbook and recipe writer.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement

Similar Recipes

More by RecipeTin Eats

Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/recipes/recipetin-eats-easy-mediterranean-risoni-with-meltingly-creamy-goat-s-cheese-20230707-p5dmmv.html