An Italian vegetable Farro salad (insalata di Farro)

Name: An Italian vegetable Farro salad (insalata di Farro)
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Farro; 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, more for seasoning; 1 medium zucchini or small eggplant, cut in medium cubes; 1/2 fresh fennel, cut into thin slices; 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (can use mutli-colors), cut in halves; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more for drizzling; 1 1/2 cups arugula (rocket); 1 cup spinach or other lettuce, or good handful; 8 basil leaves, torn; 3/4 cup small (bocconcini) mozzarella balls, cut in half

The perfect warm weather salad with Farro at its heart and any type of roasted vegetable as the complement. The recipe here is made with roasted zucchini (courgettes) or eggplant (aubergines) and fennel but you can substitute a non roasted vegetable like par-boiled asparagus, green beans or even broccoli. The Farro is tossed with greens and becomes a very substantial salad to be featured as the main course or as a side to any meal.

There is very little dressing on the “salad” because the flavor of the vegetables should be the main taste. You only need a tiny sprinkle of olive oil and some red wine vinegar to bring it all together.

An Italian vegetable Farro salad (insalata di Farro)

Posted by Barbara

Ingredients

Recipe serves: 4

	1/2 cup Farro
	1-2 tablespoons olive oil, more for seasoning
	1 medium zucchini or small eggplant, cut in medium cubes or you can use both zucchini and eggplatn
	1/2 fresh fennel, cut into thin slices
	3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (can use mutli-colors), cut in halves
	1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced if large use about 1/4 of the onion
	2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more for drizzling
	1 1/2 cups arugula (rocket)
	1 cup spinach or other lettuce, or good handful
	8 basil leaves, torn
	3/4 cup small (bocconcini) mozzarella balls, cut in half of 1/2 mozzarella ball cut in cubes

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thoughts&stories

Farro is an ancient grain popular in the Mediterranean diet. Cooking times vary depending on whether the Farro has the bran intact, not as common, or is “pearled” which means the bran has been removed. If the bran is intact, the cooking time is longer. It is best to follow the cooking times on the package.

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Posted by Barbara

time
45 minutes
serves
4
skill level
Easy

Ingredients

1/2 cup Farro
1-2 tablespoons olive oil, more for seasoning
1 medium zucchini or small eggplant, cut in medium cubes
or you can use both zucchini and eggplatn
1/2 fresh fennel, cut into thin slices
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (can use mutli-colors), cut in halves
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
if large use about 1/4 of the onion
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 cups arugula (rocket)
1 cup spinach or other lettuce, or good handful
8 basil leaves, torn
3/4 cup small (bocconcini) mozzarella balls, cut in half
of 1/2 mozzarella ball cut in cubes

Directions

1 Done	Preheat oven to 350F.
2 Done	Place the sliced onions in a bowl, pour over red wine vinegar and leave to soak until ready to use.
3 Done	Place about 3 cups water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt
4 Done	Add farro and cook for 15-20 minutes until the farro is al dente. It is always good to look at package to see the directions since farro varieties differ, and thus cooking times.
5 Done	Drain and rinse Farro with cold water to cool down. Set aside to cool completely.
6 Done	On a large baking sheet, place the sliced fennel and zucchini, sprinkle with some of the olive oil, salt and pepper, mix together to coat.
7 Done	Place in oven and roast for 10 minutes, mix after 10 minutes, and then roast another 10-15 minutes until soft and done. Does not need to brown just both vegetables becoming soft and tender. You can also do this part in a sauté pan, adding fennel first for about 5 minutes and then the zucchini, cooking together for 15-20 minutes in total.
8 Done	Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
9 Done	In a large salad bowl, add the greens, the onions without the vinegar, basil leaves, roasted vegetables, Farro, tomatoes and mozzarella.
10 Done	Toss together, season with salt and pepper, toss with olive oil, pour in 1/2 vinegar from onions and taste. Toss again and adjust the seasonings as necessary (you may want to add more vinegar).
11 Done	Serve in salad bowl or on large serving platter.