spelt Archives - Dinner in Venice

Warm Farro Salad with Cranberry Beans and Red Beet Mousse

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I think I already told you that I don’t mind a little extra padding in the winter: it’s way more practical than having to wear an extra puffer coat, and gives me a great excuse to overindulge in cheesy dishes. However, I’ve lost count of all the snowstorms we’ve had this year, and maybe – just maybe – I’ll start wiggling my way out of hibernation. This morning I even made it to a workout class, and no cheese tonight!

Warm Farro Salad with Cranberry Beans and Red Beet Mousse

Ingredients

3/4 lb farro or spelt
1 cooked beet
1/2 lb cooked Borlotti (cranberry beans) (canned OK)
1 red onion
2 thyme sprigs
1 cup Greek Yogurt (OK to leave out for a dairy-free version, just add 1 more beet)
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Rinse the farro or spelt, and cook it in salted boiling water according to the package instructions (if you are in a rush, you can use the quick-cooking farro by Pedon).

Drain it, dress it with the oil, toss and set aside.

Peel the onion, slice it very thinly (I prefer to use a mandolin) and soak the slices in a bowl of cold milk or ice water until use (this step takes the bite out of the onion... and helps with onion breath!).

Dice the beet and place it in your food processor with the cream (or greek yogurt), salt and pepper. You can process until smooth, or leave it somewhat chunky.

Add the drained onion and beans to the warm farro, dress with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves and serve with the beet mousse

* the beet and yogurt should be kept at room temperature, not cold.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2014/02/27/warm-farro-salad-with-cranberry-beans-and-red-beet-mousse/

Farro Salad with Pears and Cheese

Farro is a “cousin” of spelt, and a grain so ancient that it is said to have sustained the Roman legions with its nutty flavor, chewy texture, and high fiber, vitamin, and protein content.

When I was growing up my mom would always bring back some from our visits to Nonna in Tuscany. Our friends in Venice would taste her soups or cakes with a combination of curiosity and suspicion: at the time, in fact, farro was used only in a few Italian regions, and mostly in peasant dishes. By the way, these are the same friends who were puzzled by her use of olive oil, which they considered a heavier and less healthy alternative to butter or margarine!

In more recent years, however, farro has made it onto the chic tables of all northern Italy , and even to the United States, where it flies off the shelves of gourmet grocery stores such as Zabar’s and Citarella’s.

Warm Farro Salad with Pears and Cheese

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

40 minutes

4 to 6

Ingredients

1 lb farro (you can substitute spelt)
1 large bunch arugola
3 medium pears
1 1/2 tbsp honey
4 oz gorgonzola or blue cheese (you can substitute feta)
1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 or 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Rinse the spelt and cook it until al dente in salted boiling water (about 30-40 minutes in a regular pot or 5-10 minutes in a pressure cooker, follow instructions on package). Drain, allow to cool, and transfer to a salad bowl. Whisk the oil with the vinegar and honey, salt and pepper. Peel and slice the pears and drizzle them with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening. Dice or crumble the cheese, and break or cut the arugola into smaller pieces. Add all ingredients to the farro and dress with the honey vinagrette. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2013/03/12/farro-salad-with-pears-and-cheese/

More with Farro:

My Chestnut & Farro Soup

NYT’s Farrotto with Mushrooms

Lucullian Delights’ Chocolate Farro Cake