When it’s cold outside and you fancy a steaming hot bowl of food, but don’t necessarily have the time to make a stew, this is the recipe for you. 

It’s on the table in 40 minutes and is guaranteed to make you feel warm and comforted. 

Serves 4

olive magazine

Ingredients

• white wine 200ml
• mussels 500g, cleaned
• olive oil 1 tbsp
• onion 1, finely chopped
• garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped
• fennel seeds 1 tsp
• ’nduja 50g, broken into pieces
• orzo 300g
• tomatoes 2 ripe, chopped
• flat-leaf parsley a small bunch, chopped
• lemon 1, wedged, to serve

Instructions

1. Put the white wine in a large, deep, lidded frying pan and bring to the boil. Tip in the mussels, put on the lid and cook for 5 minutes or until the mussels open. Drain, reserving the liquid.
2. Heat the olive oil in the same pan, add the onion and garlic, and cook gently for 5-10 minutes or until soft. Add the fennel seeds and ’nduja, and cook for 5 minutes or until everything is a deep red. Stir through the orzo and tomatoes so that all the grains are coated. Pour the mussel liquid into a jug, leaving the last gritty bit in the bowl. Top up with boiling water to make 750ml of liquid, add to the pasta a ladleful at a time, and cook, stirring, until all the liquid has been absorbed before adding the next. Once the orzo is cooked, add the mussels to heat through. Scatter with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.