Comments on: Orzo cooked in Tomato Sauce (Manestra)

By: Sherry

Sherry — Mon, 02 May 2011 19:11:07 +0000

This recipe is great the only thing I added was 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.

By: maria

maria — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:17:25 +0000

the correct cheese to use with this dish the way they do in Greece is Mizithra - found at a local greek store.
Grated - has a flavor not compared to any other cheese.
My yiayia made this often. Using fresh tomatoes is the best way of course.
Enjoy.

By: Becky

Becky — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 21:15:27 +0000

Does anyone have any ideas for adding veggies to this and if so when to add? My ex used to make with I think zuchini half moons, spinach, and halved button mushrooms. Topped with extra olive oil.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:16:52 +0000

My very Greek Grandma Stella (Stavroula) Kanelakos always added onion and chopped roast beef. Yum. My son just made this two nights ago. Hadn’t eaten it for ages. Great grandkids LOVED it!

By: Lulu

Lulu — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 02:23:08 +0000

@45 Rob - When I want this a bit spicy, I toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes.

By: Checking in… « In Search of a Better Self

Checking in… « In Search of a Better Self — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:51:11 +0000

[...] craving it lately, so I decided to try a hybrid of my mother’s rough, unwritten recipe and this – I cut back on the olive oil, added the sadly missing cinnamon, and threw in [...]

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 01:47:39 +0000

My Grandma (from Greece) made something similar to this when I was a child, but she passed when I was 7 and I’ve never had it since. I only remember it as the ’spicy red rice’. Does anyone have a recipe what is a little spicier?

By: Nousiesmom

Nousiesmom — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:14:05 +0000

I make something similar. My recipe calls for one can of diced tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped sweet red pepper, garlic, and kalamata olives (have to be kalamata as the brine taste is the key). I warm up a few chilli flakes in my olive oil, add the veggies, then the orzo to toast a bit and absorb flavor. Toss in the can of diced tomatoes and water.
It is such a yummy side dish!

By: MamaLisa

MamaLisa — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:57:28 +0000

Do any of you make the tomato sauce with a cinnamon stick? I had a great Orzo dish at my wedding shower (which was at a Greek restaurant) - and they made the sauce with tomatoes, beef broth, butter, onion, garlic and oregano, and the cinnamon stick. Then when it’s up to taste, throw in the orzo and cook in the sauce. It was fabulous then. I just found my 14 year-old recipe and am going to try it tonight! Thoughts?

By: Lulu

Lulu — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:08:32 +0000

Thanks, Andreas! Yay, Nafplio!