A Whole New Grain–Farro

My first experience with farro was at the CIA in Napa last year. It was touted as a grain that diabetics could consume without raising their blood sugar! Cool! I had to try it. It was served in a recipe much like a pasta salad, with Farro as the carbohydrate. It was terrific. Throughout the week I had it cold, hot, and wanted to try it for breakfast! I love new foods that are so good for you! I couldn’t find it locally when I returned home, so I worked with my local Hy-Vee to bring it in to the Health Section.

For centuries, farro has been a mainstay of Tuscany, in the northeastern of Italy. Its popularity has decreased recently to be traded for easier to grow and harvest varieties of common wheat. Farro is making a comeback among health conscious cooks and consumers.

Farro is pronounced FAHR-oh and is often referred to as spelt in English. There is some disagreement over whether spelt is true farro or not. It is considered a “hulled wheat” which means it retains a husk during harvest and must be dehulled for further processing. This protects the grain from pollutants and insects so growers do not have to use pesticides.

Farro is often used in place of rice in Risotto dishes and in its spelt form has been used to replace wheat flour in bread, pasta, cookies, muffins, pancakes, etc. It looks like light brown rice and has a rather nutty taste like oats and barley. Farro is rich in fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and E. It is also easily digested and low in gluten, which makes it a good choice for those who are wheat-sensitive.

Used in soups, salads and desserts, the little light brown grain is an intriguing alternative to pasta and rice. Once it is cooked, it stores well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Prepare a big batch on the weekend, then have it in a cold salad, as part of a soup or main dish, and add a little milk and cinnamon for breakfast!

Farro cooks just like pasta—it’s so easy! Here’s Bluebird’s recommended cooking method:

1) Bring 4 cups water and 1 tsp salt to a rolling boil
2) Add 1 cup whole grain farro
3) Simmer on low for 60 minutes
4) Strain
5) Serve hot or cold

For more information on farro, visit: http://www.farro.com/

 

Farro and Blueberry Salad with Cucumber, Italian Parsley, Fuji Apple, and Sherry Vinaigrette

Recipe from the CIA

Ingredients	Amount
Salad
Farro	1 cup
Cucumber, peeled and finely diced	1 cup
Shallot, minced	½ cup
Celery, finely diced	½ cup
Fuji apple, finely diced	1 ea.
Flat-leaf parsley, fresh, minced	¼ cup
Salt and black pepper, freshly ground	to taste
Blueberries	2 cups
Bibb leaf lettuce	1 hd.
Sherry vinaigrette
Extra virgin olive oil	½ cup
Sherry vinegar	¼ cup
Garlic clove, minced	1 ea.
Tarragon, minced	2 tsp.
Salt and black pepper, freshly ground	to taste
Blueberries, fresh	1 cup

Method

1. For the farro: Bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil and pour in 1 cup of farro. Cook until it is tender to the bite, approx 20-25 min. Add more water as necessary. When farro is cooked through, drain through a colander and spread out onto a sheet tray to cool.

2. For the dressing: While farro is cooking, combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper as necessary.

3. Chop cucumber, shallot, celery, apple and parsley.

4. Once farro is cool, combine.

5. Add all the salad ingredients except for the blueberries and bbb lettuce.

6. Add dressing to moisten and let marinate for 45 minutes.

7. Add blueberries and toss. Serve a spoonful of the farro salad on a leaf of bibb lettuce. Garnish with more fresh blueberries.

Yield: 12 portions

For more great whole grain ideas, visit any of the following blogs from other nutrition professionals: