A flavorful one-pot Sun-dried Tomato Orzo dish made with Italian sausage, fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese, cooked in an enameled cast iron braiser.
Using a 4 Qt. Enameled Cast Iron Braiser on medium heat, add olive oil. Brown the sausage, stirring occasionally and breaking it into bite-sized pieces. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add onions, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Once onions begin to look translucent, drop the heat to medium-low and add in garlic. Season with Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir, and cook for 2 minutes until the bright red paste turns a rust color. Add in sun-dried tomatoes. Stir. Add in dry orzo and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the edges of the orzo are slightly translucent. Deglaze the pan with dry white wine. Once almost all of the wine is absorbed, add chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Add in basil sprigs. Stir, making sure to scrape up any orzo that could be sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add a pinch of salt. Stir. Cover with the lid and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes. Uncover. Remove the basil sprigs. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream, stir. Add in cherry tomatoes and allow them to soften (2-3 minutes). Add 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add in spinach. Once spinach is wilted and orzo is tender, turn off the heat and finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
