Description
Hearty farro dish with earthy mushrooms and Tuscan kale. A simple, satisfying vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 7 oz (200 g) Farro
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, yellow or red, finely chopped
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 4-5 long leaves Tuscan Kale, hard stalks removed
- 1 handful dried mushrooms
- 9 oz (250 g) Champignon, Button or Cremini mushrooms
- 1 liters (4 cups) vegetable stock, or hot water with an organic bouillon cube - more if needed.
- 1 splash white wine
- Salt
- 1 tbsp (14 g) butter
- Good quality Extra Virgin olive oil
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino (skip to make it vegan)
Instructions
- Soak the farro in a bowl with double its volume in water for at least 12 hours.
- Soak the dried mushrooms in a half cup of warm water for at least 2 hours. Reserve the soaking water.
- Wash the kale, remove stems and stalks, and thinly slice.
- Scrub the mushrooms, detach the cap from the stalk, remove the butt-end, and thinly slice both caps and stalks.
- Add olive oil to a large, shallow pan or pot. Heat slightly, add onions and shallots, and stir-fry on medium heat for 5 minutes until translucent.
- Drain the soaked mushrooms, reserving the water, and roughly chop before adding to the pan with the kale. Stir and cook on medium for 5 more minutes. Lower heat if needed.
- Add the fresh mushrooms and their stalks.
- Scoop out a cup of the starchy farro soaking water and drain it. Add the farro to the pan, stir to coat, add salt, and stir well.
- After about 2 minutes, add the starchy farro water, mushroom water (avoiding any residue), and enough stock to barely cover everything.
- Simmer on medium-low heat, adding stock by the ladleful as the liquid dries out. After 20 minutes, it should start getting creamy. Add liquid gradually to achieve optimal creaminess.
- Cooking times vary; pearled farro: 25-30 minutes; whole farro/spelt: 45 minutes to 1 hour. Organic grains take longer.
- Check for taste and texture, adjust salt. Stir in butter (optional) and 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan per person.
- Dish up and garnish with extra virgin olive oil and extra cheese, if desired.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, toast the farro in a dry pan for a few minutes before soaking.
- If you don’t have Tuscan kale, substitute with spinach or another hearty green, adjusting cooking time as needed.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 70
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 10