Italians are crazy for farro and this recipe is from Tuscany is simply wonderful. One of the best things about this is that you can make this dish several hours ahead of time and then reheat it--taking care not to overcook it. We just loved this dish and I intend to find other recipes from Italy for this amazing grain.
FARRO RISOTTO WITH CHICKPEAS ORANGE AND SAGE
(serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 as a main dish)
- 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) whole-grain Italian farro
- Hot Water
- 2 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
- 15 to 16 large fresh sage leaves, torn into small pieces
- A 4-inch branch fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 8 to 10 cups Hearty Vegetable Broth
- Shredded zest of 1 large orange
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 tightly packed tablespoon fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Place the farro in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
In a heavy 5-to 6-quart pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, sage, rosemary, fennel seeds and salt. Cover and turn the heat to low. Cook 15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and clear. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high, and saute the onions to rich golden brown,taking care not to burn the glaze at the bottom of the pan. About half way through the browning, stir in half the chickpeas.
Meanwhile, bring the broth to a gentle simmer.
Drain the farro. Blend half the orange zest, all the garlic, and the farro into onions. Stir 1 minute. Cooking takes about an hour ....{depending on where your farro has come from-more or less time.]
Add 1 cup of broth and cook, uncovered, at a lively simmer until it has been absorbed. Stir frequently. Keep adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed. Stir frequently Keep adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time until it is absorbed. Add salt and pepper to taste as the dish cooks. When the farro is nearly tender, blend in the remaining chickpeas. Stir in the wine and remaining orange zest and cook until the wine has been absorbed Sample the farro for tenderness with some firmness and no raw taste. Its cleft will have opened up, revealing more of its white interior. It is still too firm, add another 1/4 cup or more stock and simmer until its consistency is creamy and the grain is done. Remove the rosemary sprig.
Remove the pot from the heat, fold in the cheese, and let rest, uncovered, 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley.
Lynne Rossetto Kasper. The Italian Country Table. New York:Scribner, 1999)
Later in the week, we used the leftovers to stuff peppers.
Great leftovers! No one would know that this was a dish made from a previous dinner.
As Ina Garten would say, "How bad can that be?"
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