Basic farro

Basic Farro

MAKES 5 CUPS

I may spend quality time with quinoa, sweet brown rice, and the other grains I’ve come to love in recent years, but farro will be in regular rotation in my kitchen forever. It’s an integral wheat grain in Italian cooking, and for as long as I can remember I’ve loved its earthy, nutty, slightly sweet flavor. When it’s cooked well, farro is tender and chewy with a bit of firmness at its center. Packing more protein and fiber than brown rice, farro makes a filling salad and adds texture and heartiness to soups. You can find it in most gourmet groceries, Italian specialty shops, and natural foods stores.

Farro is not gluten-free, but it has a low gluten content that people with a mild sensitivity to wheat may be able to tolerate.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, quartered through the core
• 1 small carrot, quartered lengthwise
• 1 small celery stalk, halved lengthwise and crosswise
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups farro

• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the vegetables to thoroughly coat them with the oil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.

• Add the farro and stir to coat it with the oil and vegetables. Add enough water to cover the farro by about 1⁄2 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. If the pot looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Remove and discard the vegetables. Serve the farro warm, or let it cool completely before storing in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.