Creamy Tomato Sausage Orzo

• 6pork sausages, skins removed
• 600 mlchicken stock
• 1 tbsptomato puree
• 400 gchopped tomatoes
• 100 gbaby spinach
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 2garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 100 gcream cheese
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 250 gorzo
• 40 gparmesan, grated

Method

1. 1Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins in rough chunks and drop into the pan in a single layer; work in two batches if your pan looks crowded. All at once and the meat steams in its own water instead of browning. Leave the chunks alone for 2 minutes before stirring, then break them up a little and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes until deeply browned with crisp, caramelised edges and proper stuck-on bits forming on the base of the pan. Season generously with salt and black pepper as it browns.
2. 2Drop the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring through the sausage fat, until softened and translucent and lifting some of the fond off the base.
3. 3Stir in the garlic, tomato puree and smoked paprika. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds; just until the garlic is fragrant.
4. 4Tip in the orzo, chopped tomatoes and chicken stock, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring regularly, until the pasta is tender and the sausage is steaming hot throughout with no pink meat. Add a splash of water if the sauce dries before the pasta is ready.
5. 5Stir in the cream cheese off direct heat until it melts into the sauce and turns everything glossy and pale coral.
6. 6Add the baby spinach a handful at a time, folding it through until just wilted and bright green; any longer and it goes khaki.
7. 7Stir through half the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve in bowls with the remaining Parmesan scattered over.

Per serving

kcal

715

protein

29.3g

fibre

5.2g

carbs

63.1g

fat

38.8g