Squash and Sage Orzo

1 - Prep the shallots and garlic
Halve, peel and roughly slice 200g of shallots. Peel and mince 4 cloves of garlic.

2 - Preheat the pan
Tip 2 tbsp of the olive oil into a large frying pan and put it over a medium heat.

3 - Fry
Once the oil starts to shimmer and loosen, tip in the shallots, garlic and a pinch of salt. Fry for 5-6
minutes, until softened and fragrant - get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you
wait.

4 - Prep the squash
Cut 1 squash in half, wrap one of the halves in cling film and store in the fridge for another recipe
this week. Peel the other half, remove and discard the seeds from its centre with a spoon, then cut
it into small chunks (around 0.5cm).

5 - Add the squash and orzo
Once the shallots and garlic are ready, tip in the squash along with 200g of orzo. Toss everything
in the pan to coat them in the oil.

6 - Add the water
Crumble in 1 stock cube and add 500ml of water. Turn the heat up to high and bring everything to
a boil.

7 - Simmer and stir
Reduce the heat back down to medium and simmer, stirring regularly for 8-10 minutes - until the
orzo and squash are soft but still have a slight bite and the liquid has reduced to a loose glaze that
coats them. Add a splash of water if the orzo starts to get too thick or stick to the bottom. Get on
with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

8 - Preheat the pan
Tip the remaining 3 tbsp of oil into a small frying pan and place it over a medium heat. Roughly
chop 100g of hazelnuts and pick the leaves from 10g of sage.

9 - Fry the hazelnuts
Once the oil begins to shimmer and loosen, tip in the hazelnuts. Fry for 1-2 minutes, until they start
to smell nutty - keep an eye on them as they can burn easily.

10 - Add the sage
Add the sage. Fry for a further 1-2 minutes, until the hazelnuts are light golden and the sage has
darkened. Take the pan off the heat and set aside ready for serving later. If you are still waiting for
the orzo, now would be a great time to crack on with a bit of washing up.

11 - Season and mix
Once the orzo is ready, season it to taste with salt and pepper and divide between plates.

12 - Serve
Spoon the crispy hazelnuts and sage over the orzo and serve!

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