Whilst rummaging through my cabinet the other day, I noticed I had a bag of farro hiding, lonely and unused. What is this, you may ask? It's actually an Italian grain, and though I had never cooked with it before, I decided to get a 3 lb. bag at Costco with my mom like... 9 months ago. Yes, my name is Andrew and I'm a food horder.
So our purchase did not go to waste, I decided to see what I could make using farro! Where else to turn but my trusty Giada? She's my go-to inspiration, and she did NOT fail me this time! I actually found 2 recipes in her books that I used as the basis for this experimentation in food. Because science doesn't allow me to experiment enough ;).
Round 1: Farro Salad w/Veggies
The ultimate make-ahead meal, a twist on a classic pasta salad! This was perfect because I threw in a bunch of things I had lying around, so feel free to switch out the veggies for what you think would go well. The key is the dressing, which is bright and vinegary. With the fresh veggies, you have a taste of summer all year long! To make the veggies sparkle even more, you can blanch any green vegetable you want to add (such as beans or peas). And the farro makes it substantial as either a side or a main!
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| I could eat my veggies like this more often... |
Recipe
Inspired by Giada de Laurentiis
6 side-dish servings
10 oz farro (1 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. sugar snap peas, halved
1/2 can black pitted olives, halved
2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
3 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. pepper
Add farro and 4 cups water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until farro is almost tender. Add salt, simmer about 10 more minutes, until farro is tender. Drain and allow to cool in a large bowl.
Add vegetables and cheese to the cooled farro, mix well.
In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, mustard, pepper, and some salt. Pour over the salad and serve!
Round 2: Cheesy Baked Farro
The EXACT OPPOSITE of round one in terms of health content, but OMG so delicious. Comfort food with a twist, oh so bad it's good. Similarly to the salad, you can mix and match whatever you'd like - but definitely have the tomatoes in here. They give an acidic bite that lightens it up a load. Oh, and I would recommend capers, too. Was going to add them in but I was STUPID and bought green peppercorns by accident. That's why they were cheaper than the other capers...
...and what Andrew dish is complete without prosciutto (or pancetta)?
Don't be intimidated by the many steps, each one is pretty easy and assembly of the farro is super simple. You even get to make a bechamel sauce, which I've always been meaning to make but never had the opportunity! I do recommend finding a friend to grate all this cheese - they'll definitely earn their dinner. At the end of this event, you'll have a 9 x 13 pan full of cheesy carby goodness. Food for an army - or yourself - whichever...
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| Pre-oven. |
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| Post-oven. Note the cheesy melty goodness ugh I want more... |
Inspired by Giada de Laurentiis
6 servings
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups warm milk (microwave for a bit just to take the edge off)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used beef because that's what I had, just gives extra flavor)
2 cups farro, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup peas
3 oz. prosciutto, diced
2 1/2 cups Parmesan, grated
4 oz. Gruyere, grated
3 oz. Fontina, grated
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray
For the sauce, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, whisk until smooth (just to cook off the raw flour flavor). Gradually add warm milk whilst whisking. Simmer until thick and smooth (run your finger down the back of the spoon - does the line stay? then you're good) - do NOT boil. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper
For the farro, bring broth to a boil. Add farro, simmer until tender (about 25 minutes). Drain.
Meanwhile, heat oil, adding tomatoes, peas, and other veggies. Cook until tender.
In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and herbs. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture. Add farro to the remaining cheese, along with the sauce, veggies, and prosciutto. Stir well, and pour into the baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining cheese, and top with breadcrumbs, drizzling with olive oil.
Bake until top is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!
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So which is your favorite farro recipe? And what should I do with the other half of my bag...?
