Garlic Prawn Orzo with Tomatoes and Feta
Orzo simmered in a white wine tomato sauce, tossed with garlicky seared prawns and finished with crumbled feta. A one-pan Mediterranean dinner that tastes bright and full.
- Total
- 38 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 28
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Simmering
- Savory
- Mediterranean
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Peel and finely slice the 4 garlic cloves. Cut the tomatoes into 2 cm chunks. Crumble the feta into rough pieces. Pat the king prawns dry with paper towel and season with a pinch of the salt and half the black pepper.
~10 min
Drying prawns removes surface moisture so they sear rather than steam, and seasoning now lets salt penetrate.
-
Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 45 to 60 seconds, until fragrant and pale gold. Do not let it brown or it turns bitter.
~2 min
Garlic burns quickly; cooking it gently to pale gold extracts flavour without the bitterness that browned garlic brings.
-
Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and pressing the tomatoes with the wooden spoon, until they collapse into a thick sauce. Pour in the 100 ml white wine and simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
~10 min
Simmering wine evaporates harsh alcohol while its acidity and depth balance the sweet, collapsed tomatoes.
-
Stir the 180 g orzo into the sauce, then pour in the 500 ml water and the remaining salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring often so the orzo does not stick, until the pasta is al dente and the liquid has thickened into a glossy sauce. If the pan dries out before the orzo is tender, add 2 tbsp hot water and keep cooking.
~14 min
Stirring releases orzo starch, which thickens the liquid into a glossy sauce that clings to the pasta.
Stir the orzo every couple of minutes while it simmers: the starch it releases is what makes the sauce cling, and constant stirring keeps it from catching on the pan base.
Simmering Keep a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, and stir often. Taste the orzo early; it firms up fast and can turn mushy if overcooked.
-
While step 4 cooks
While the orzo simmers, heat a separate non-stick pan over high heat. Add the seasoned king prawns in a single layer and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque and the internal temperature reaches 63°C. Remove from the heat.
~4 min
High heat and a single layer create a dry sear, giving browning and a firm texture instead of steaming.
Searing Pat prawns bone-dry, use high heat and leave space between them. Crowding or moving them too soon steams them grey instead of searing golden.
-
Fold the seared prawns through the orzo and taste for salt. Divide between two bowls and scatter the crumbled feta over the top with the remaining black pepper.
~2 min