Ancient Grains: Farro Salad Recipe

Here's another gem from Giada De Laurentiis's Everyday Italian that I discovered while borrowing her cookbook from the library.

This recipe caught my eye since it featured a grain I'd never tried before - the Ancient Roman grain of "FARRO". I picked up the grain on a trip to Whole Foods Market, and though I initially balked at the $8 price tag, I decided it was worth while since it was enough to make two batches of this healthy entree salad.

The grain Farro was suprisingly light yet chewy, and worth every penny! This salad would be perfect for a summer picnic, or in tonight's case, the perfect way to forget about the chilly winter air outside!

Farro Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

35 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 sweet onion (recommended: Walla Walla) chopped
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

• Combine the water and farro in a medium saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes.Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• Add the tomatoes, onion, chives, and parsley to the farro, and toss to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.
• The salad can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.