Lesan asfour bowls

Lesan asfour — which means bird’s tongue in Arabic - is known as risoni or orzo in English. In Egypt it’s mostly used in a namesake soup, but it's actually very versatile. I like to serve it with lamb ragu, or baked with tomatoes, feta and shrimp. Lately I have taken to cooking it with fresh tomato sauce and then serving it slathered with olive oil and ricotta cheese. It’s the perfect thing to eat if you’re maxed out on heavy Ramadan fare, works well as an iftar or suhour dish and can also be served alongside a green salad and fresh crusty bread. Light, simple and delicious, it ticks all the boxes.

Serves 2

Cooking time: 30 minutes 

3 very ripe medium-sized tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 large garlic clove, sliced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of risoni
1 cup of water
Sea salt
Half a teaspoon of chilli flakes
Ricotta cheese (can substitute with cottage cheese)
Olive oil for serving
Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Basil leaves for serving (optional)

Put the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add the garlic and chilli flakes. Gently cook for 2 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't brown. Using your hands crush the tomatoes one by one over the pan. Add a teaspoon of salt and turn the heat up a bit higher. Cook for 5 minutes. 

Turn the heat back down to medium and cook for another 15 minutes or until the tomatoes start becoming sticky and jammy in texture, with the oil rising to the surface a little. Make sure you keep an eye on the pan, making sure the tomatoes don’t start to burn.

Turn up the heat again and add the water, stir to combine. Once the sauce starts to bubble, mix in the risoni and put a lid on the pan, turn the heat back down to low and cook for another 5 minutes with the lid still on. 

Use a small spoon to scoop out some risoni to check for tenderness and salt. If it’s sticking but not ready you can also add a little extra water to the pan. Serve while hot in bowls, dot with the ricotta cheese and drizzle over some oil and top with a little sea salt and grated parmesan cheese. 

Secrets to making this work

Tomatoes: For the best tomatoes, buy them when they are super ripe and are at room temperature. If you buy them refrigerated or store them this way they lose all their flavor, as we mentioned in our recipe "Pasta for times of happiness and crisis."