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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Bring the stock to a boil in a 6- to 8-cup saucepan; stir in the orzo, cover, and turn the heat to medium-low.
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3
Set a timer for 15 minutes.
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4
Use a 1/4-cup measure to make 4 rounds of Parmigiano-Reggiano on a nonstick baking sheet.
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5
Smooth the rounds into thin pancakes, 5 or 6 inches across; the thickness need not be perfectly uniform.
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6
Put the baking sheet in the oven.
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7
The Parmigiano-Reggiano rounds are done when the centers darken slightly and the edges begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
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8
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it stand for about a minute, then carefully lift each of the rounds and drape it over the bottom of a narrow cup or glass to form a cup shape.
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9
Let dry for about 5 minutes.
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10
The orzo is done when it is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.
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11
Season it with pepper and very little salt, then stir in the parsley.
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12
Spoon a portion of orzo into each of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cups and serve.
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13
Cheese cups can be made with almost any hard cheese or a combination of cheeses.
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14
Manchego, pecorino, and other sheeps milk cheeses are especially good.
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15
For fillings, try:
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16
Steamed and chopped spinach (other than a grating of pepper, no seasoning is necessary)
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17
Beef stew or other stewed meat
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18
Ratatouille or other stewed vegetables
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19
Be careful not to grate the cheese too finely; you dont want the same powdery consistency you might prefer on pasta.
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20
One of the larger holes of a box grater works well, and so does the steel blade of the food processor, which produces small, even pellets of cheese.
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21
Baking the cheese disks doesnt present much of a problem, and its easy enough to tell when theyre done because the edges begin to brown.
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22
But removing them from the baking sheet can be tricky: be sure to allow the rounds to cool slightly so that they can firm up a bitthirty to sixty seconds is right for me, but if your baking sheet retains more heat, it might take a little longerand then use the thinnest spatula you have to gently lift them off the baking sheet.
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23
Drape the soft mass over a narrow glass, and shape gently; the cups will be ready to fill in a few minutes.
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24
Though they are best when fresh, the cups will retain both shape and flavor for a couple of hours.
