One-pot orzo and meatballs

Simplicity astonishes at first bite: Juicy meatballs simmer in a flame-red tomato sauce with an undercurrent of smoky depth and tender bites of orzo. Pimentón, or smoked paprika, a popular ingredient in Spanish cooking, leads the show. Fresh chorizo (or Italian sausage) is rolled into one-ingredient meatballs that finish cooking with the orzo. This recipe takes cues from a Catalan dish of fideos (thin long noodles) with clams in a tomato sauce, and, similarly, the orzo here is toasted to bump up the flavor and retain its bite. Top this with cheese, such as queso fresco, Mahón or Parmesan, to add another level of creaminess.