Can I Make The Greek Squid And Orzo With Rice Instead Of Pasta?

Our answer

Nigella's Greek Squid And Orzo (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) is a one-pot recipe that requires very little hands-on time. In the oven, the squid braises until it is tender and the orzo softens and soaks up all of the flavour from the cooking liquid.

The cooking time is quite long and the orzo is very soft after cooking. The main concern we have is that rice would become extremely soft and congee-like after a similar cooking time. If you wanted to try using rice, we would suggest putting the squid (in the cooking liquid) to the oven and braising for 50 minutes, then uncover, stir in the rice, cover again and return the pan to the oven to braise for a further 30 minutes. After this the squid should be tender and the rice swollen, soft and slightly sticky. Add the extra hot water a little at a time, you want the rice to be moist but not swimming in liquid and you may not need all of the water. You can add an extra splash of water just before serving, if necessary. However, please note that as we have not tried the Greek Squid with rice ourselves, we are unable to guarantee the results.