Risoni with Spinach, Parmesan and Basil

Some days I sit at the laptop and words just come. Sometimes I have a clear idea of what I want to say and how it links to the food and recipe. Sometimes I have no real idea where the words will take me. It is like I am sat chatting with a friend, the conversation twists and turns and after an hour you look up and think how did we get onto the subject of Moroccan bath tiles. (Oh yes I have odd and interesting conversations with my friends 😉 )

Some days like yesterday I sit and I can't think of anything to say, well nothing that I think anyone would want to read, that is quite hard to handle. Your brain is goading you "I am boring, my stories are boring, why would anyone be interested in what I have to say?" I don't want to use the term writers block as I don't presume to be a writer. I am a waffler, I write as I talk.

Many many (many) years ago, I did my Duke of Edinburgh Award. At the end of the expedition each member of the group had to do a presentation on one aspect of the four days. Unsurprisingly I chose 'camp cooking'. I was 17, so I did what most 17 year old girls do when faced with a speech, I wrote the whole thing out. There were no flash cards or prompts, this was an essay that I planned to read verbatim to the school. The teacher in me is now crying, back then the security of a script was what I needed to get over my fear and stand up and talk, now after years in the classroom it is the thought of trying to do a presentation with a fully written out scrip that fills me with dread. My old pupils would testify to the scatty and slightly random nature of my lessons. We always got the work done and the information made it from my head to their head, but it wasn't a textbook classroom.

Like I said I am a waffler, I like to twist and turn when I talk (with my words you understand....I don't do the jive when I talk!;-) ) So whilst now I wouldn't want a script, some things haven't changed because back then I also wrote as I spoke, something I hadn't realised until that presentation.

The presentations were marked and I got great feed back, Mr O'Hara said it was "an engaging, personal presentation that felt spontaneous, yet informative", then he saw my essay and laughed. He told me "you write as though you are having a conversation with the page. This reads as though someone has documented you talking on the phone to a friend".

I hope the same can still be said. As I like to waffle, I like to chat and some days like yesterday when I really have nothing to say, then I hope I can just close the computer and say nothing. Better to leave a day unblogged than to force some words onto the page.

Today I wasn't sure I had much to say, but I tapped away and now I have filled a couple of minutes of your day with my random musings.

Random musing from a 17 year old who spoke about cooking dried noodles on a camp stove, of a 28 year old teacher who got every student out of their seat and made them run about to explain changes of state, of a 35 year old blogger who is sat with a cup of coffee wondering whether cold left overs of yesterdays pasta dinner, is an acceptable morning tea or will it just make me seem like a bit of a piggy? I think I know the answer 😉 But once you have tried this risoni recipe you might understand my dilemma.

I hope you enjoy the random musings, as I have plenty more conversations to have with you. One day I will explain how we got onto the Moroccan tiles....just got to figure that out myself first! Aren't you glad you stopped by 😉

For more delicious pasta recipes try these:

• Garlic Butter Pasta with Garlic Chicken (for garlic LOVERS)
• Shrimp Chorizo Pasta
• Creamy Rosemary Chicken Pasta
• Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Creamy Garlic Sauce
• Pasta with Roasted Fennel
• Pork Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles
• Creamy Saffron and Shrimp Pasta
• Parsnip and Bacon Pasta
• Black Truffle Pasta
• Get ALL PASTA RECIPES

Print Recipe

3.70 from 13 votes

Risoni with Spinach, Parmesan and Basil

A great Risoni (orzo) recipe. Risoni with Spinach, Parmesan and Basil. A comforting easy supper that is great on it's own or as a tasty side dish.

Servings: 4

Author: Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup risoni pasta (also called Orzo pasta)
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 2 cubes of frozen spinach (remove from the freezer when you start cooking the pasta)
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoon chopped basil
• Black pepper - to taste

Instructions

• Place the butter into a small saucepan and melt over a low heat.
• Stir in the risoni and stir until it is coated with the butter.
• Add the chicken stock, cover the pan and reduce the heat.
• Cook on the lowest simmer for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes remove the lid and give the pasta a stir.
• Add the spinach and stir gently.
• Keep gently string until the spinach has defrosted and the liquid is almost gone.
• Stir in the Parmesan, basil, and season with pepper.
• Continue stirring until the Parmesan has melted.
• Serve with an extra grinding of black pepper and a generous grating of parmesan.
• I served ours with some char-grilled herb mustard chicken.

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