While we think of pasta as culturally Italian, it is likely a descendant of ancient Asian noodles. Archaeologists believe that central Asia is most likely the first area to have produced noodles thousands of years ago. Travelling westward and reaching the Mediterranean, the process was refined and durum wheat semolina flour became the ingredient of choice for pasta because of its high gluten content and long shelf life.

Orzo, also known as Kritharáki and Risoni, is a rice-like, short-cut pasta (pastina). It is calorie dense but has more carbs and twice the protein of oats and brown rice and is a staple in Greek cuisine across the Ionian and Cyclades Islands. Closing my eyes I reminisce of warm, summer’s evenings in Fiscardo, hearing the fisherman land their catches, seeing the tiny twinkles of reflected light glisten in the crystal clear water and smelling the aromas wafting from the cafes surrounding the harbour.

Back in the kitchen … it’s raining and I’ve raided my fridge and store cupboard to make Maneštra which is a lovely, warming and soothing vegetarian version of one of my favourite Greek dishes, Giouvetsi. There are no aubergines to be found so I am using their sub-Saharan cousins, garden eggs, and swapping the traditional Kefalotyri cheese for mozzarella.

There are some more unusual recipes around using this pasta, including one using 3-week old cricket nymphs 'Orthopteran Orzo' but I think I'll stick to my Mediterranean flavours for now. #ChristmasGift