This was beautiful and if I could have given it 4.5 stars I would have. The only thing that didn't make this recipe a 5 star was that I felt it was missing just a little something and if I am going to spend time caramelizing onions (and I have a passion for caramelized onions) the resulting dish should be perfect. The next time I made the recipe I added some toasted pine nuts becuse I felt the missing ingredient was more a textural than a taste thing. It was stunning! Two points I would make are; One - I found it best to add the spinach when the pasta is nice and hot so the spinach wilts enough so that the rawness of it is taken away. Two - (For the onion timid) Four onions is not too many for this recipe! In fact make them four nice big ones and a pinch of sugar to help the caramelization process along you won't regret it!
This was beautiful and if I could have given it 4.5 stars I would have. The only thing that didn't make this recipe a 5 star was that I felt it was missing just a little something and if I am going to spend time caramelizing onions (and I have a passion for caramelized onions) the resulting dish should be perfect. The next time I made the recipe I added some toasted pine nuts becuse I felt the missing ingredient was more a textural than a taste thing. It was stunning! Two points I would make are; One - I found it best to add the spinach when the pasta is nice and hot so the spinach wilts enough so that the rawness of it is taken away. Two - (For the onion timid) Four onions is not too many for this recipe! In fact make them four nice big ones and a pinch of sugar to help the caramelization process along you won't regret it!
This is very tasty a nice change from rice or potatoes. I must admit... I was very nervious about the amount of onions. But it honestly worked. I wish I had added even more (smile) Just a note I think this might have the potential to become dry so I used a bit of the water that I cooked the orzo in before it became dry. Last note like another person mentioned I added the spinach to the hot orzo so that the spinach would wilt a bit.
I 1/2'd the pasta and doubled the spinach. Used prewashed baby spinach and rotini shaped pasta. Also sub'd cream cheese for mascarpone. Had only 4 oz. of the blue cheese. VERY GOOD. It cools very quickly. Had to nuke individual servings. Fine for wife and I. Would be very difficult to serve warm to many more.
A very good recipe. I did not drain the onions which kept the orzo from getting too dry. The onions need to be medium to large sized because it takes a lot of onion to balance the blue cheese flavor. This is a new favorite though reserved for special occasions which justify all of the chopping and tears.
This was just not worth the expensive mascarpone cheese and blue cheese this recipe called for. It was just OK. Will definitely not make this again:(
Am glad I took the time and slowly caramalized the onion. The flavor really worked well with blue cheese and mascarpone and the cheese melted so nicely. Topped off with some pine nuts and it was great!
I had such high hopes for what sounded like such a delicious dish! I should've read all the reviews. Mascarpone did not work cream cheese would have been better four onions was NOT too much so keep them all in 1 pound of pasta was way too much and too bland the spinach needs to be added while it's still cooking to wilt it some. If I make it again I'll make drastic changes. I agree it was missing "something" but not sure what. Toasted walnuts might have been a good addition too but not sure what else would help this...
Great side dish! Did not have mascarpone on hand so I used cream cheese. And I had Gorganzola (same thing?) so I used that instead.
Excellent recipe. Used regular cream cheese and skipped the spinach. Will definitely make again.
