4 cups water
1 cup farro*
1/2 lb rapini, roughly chopped
1/8 lb flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
Preparation
Bring 4 cups water and farro to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, saute the onion, carrot and garlic until the onions are transparent. Add the parsley and rapini and saute until they start to wilt. Remove from heat. Stir in to the farro. Add the vinegar and lemon juice. Mix all ingredients together. Serve hot or at room temperature.
*Farro is an ancient grain that is said to be the “mother” of all wheat. It has a nutty flavor and is found in many Italian dishes. Look for it in the “health food” or “international” isle of a well-stocked grocery store.
My thoughts:
I bought some farro a couple of months ago but didn’t get around to making it until yesterday afternoon. I liked it a lot, it is slightly chewy and has a almost toasty flavor I enjoyed. I had heard that people mainly eat it in salads and soup but I wasn’t in a soup or salad kind of mood. I guess this would sort of fit into the “warm” salad category if you were so inclined. At any rate, it was a great side dish and the leftovers would make a great light lunch.
And I know it must seem like we eat nothing but rapini (I didn’t even post when we had the Italian sausage subs with rapini that resulted in the leftover rapini I used) but it is one of those vegetables that is consistently good during the winter months. Plus Matt is fairly obsessed, so whenever we see it, we pick some up. It’s a great way to add a little extra green to a meal.
yum, i love rapini and have been eating it a lot this winter too. never tried farro…but will give it a try next time i’m out shopping.
Great photos…this looks delicious. Thanks for this recipe ! 🙂
I LOVE farro but it it so hard to find in the Baltimore area. Where did you find it? You’ve got to try it in a cold, vinegary bean and veggie salad – it is really very good that way.
I think I bought it at Whole Foods.
I’ve never heard of farro – looks quite good!! and I LOVE rapini :0)
This looks healthy and delicious. I had never heard of farro before, but it sounds quite good! Thanks for teaching me something/
looks terrific. looking forward to trying it out!
Rapini is good stuff. Never thought to combine it with farro but what a good idea. I also like the idea of the Italian sausage sub with rapini.
And to una donna dolce, another place to purchase farro in Baltimore is Di Pasquales.
I’ve never had farro or rapini, but this looks delicious & will look for both of those in my local Fresh Market!
Rachel, I have never met a bean nor a grain I didn’t like. Yet, I have to admit, I have never hear of Farro despite being, well, “food obsessed.” I can’t wait to try it! Sounds delicious…
Julie for WOW!
Thanks for telling us what farro is. I have seen farro mentioned, but didn’t know what it was.
Can farro be cooked in a rice cooker under the normal white rice setting? The ratio of water to grain is the same. Hmm.
Alicia: I don’t have a rice cooker so I wouldn’t know but you could give it a try. The farro does need to be drained if that make some sort of a difference.
Oh, hmm definately the stove, then. Otherwise the rice cooker will keep going until all of the water’s gone! Thanks. 🙂