Farro Salad

As mentioned in my last post I have been wanting to experiment with Farro. Farro is a type of wheat grown in the Tuscany region of Italy as well as other parts of Europe. I have done some research and in the food science world Farro is the Italian word for Spelt. It is an ancient grain that was a staple in the diets of the Egyptians and later the Romans. It has a nutty flavour and a chewy texture.

As with rice there are different ways to cook Farro. Some recipes suggest soaking it in water overnight. I followed a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis and did not soak it overnight but I will try this next time to see what the difference is.

I made this Farro salad based on what ingredients I had available. It is the kind of salad that you can play with and add all kinds of different ingredients to. I served along side a salmon fillet but it could easily be the main meal and by adding cheese or tofu to it you can up the protein content. It is also a hearty grain and therefore can handle a full flavoured dressing. I made one with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic.

Rick and I both enjoyed the salad. Renee & Connor both commented that they were not keen on the texture but enjoyed the flavours. I think it is the type of grain that simply takes a little getting used to. We are accustom to softer grains like rice, barley & even quinoa. I am looking forward to future experiments with Farro.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups farro
2 1/4 t salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t red pepper flakes - optional
2 plum tomatoes chopped
1 small cucumber chopped
1 sweet onion chopped
1/2 cup olives pitted and halved
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

In a medium sauce pan, combine 4 cups of water and farro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium to low heat until the farro is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and simmer until the farro is tender, about 10 more minutes. Drain well and then transfer to a bowl and let it cool.

In a medium bowl, mash the garlic with 1/4 t of salt to make a paste. Whisk in the vinegar and the 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, then the oil. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and parsley to the farro and toss to combine. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

This is the kind of salad that can be made well in advance and kept refrigerated if needed.