by Jennifer Perillo
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2 cups
uncooked farro (or substitute barley)
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1
medium red onion, cut in half
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1
clove garlic
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handful of fresh parsley plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped
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1/2 teaspoon
salt, plus more if needed
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1 cup
finely diced (about 1/4 "cubes) fresh mozzarella cheese
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2 teaspoons
minced pitted kalamata olives
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1
pint grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
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1 tablespoon
finely chopped fresh basil
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Freshly ground pepper, to taste
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FOR THE DRESSING
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scant 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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1 teaspoon
balsamic vinegar
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1 tablespoon
red wine vinegar
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2 teaspoons
honey
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Add the farro, one onion half, garlic, handful of parsley and salt along with 2 3/4 cups water to a 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off burner and let sit, covered, for 5 more minutes. Discard the onion, garlic and large pieces of parsley. Spread out on a rimmed sheet pan and let cool completely (do not skip this step or the mozzarella will melt into the finished dish).
Ask the hotline about this step!Whisk together the olive oil, vinegars and honey to prepare the dressing. Chop the remaining onion half finely. Add onion, cooled farro, mozzarella, kalamata olives, tomatoes, remaining tablespoon of parsley and basil to a deep bowl. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir well to combine, using a long wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper. The salad is ready to serve, but can also be made and stored in the fridge, covered, one day ahead.
Ask the hotline about this step!Thank you for this recipe! I subbed jicama because I don't like raw onions.
Have you tried rinsing the onions? I do this when i want texture and a little bit of the onion flavor, but I don't want to over power the other flavors. You end up with a very mild onion flavor.
I made this a day ahead and took it camping. Delicious! Everyone thought it was so fresh and zesty after having the usual slightly unhealthy camp fare ( hot dogs, burgers etc..) I made it with barley as I couldnt find farro.
I could tell that my 20 something year olds sons were skeptical when I served this dish. I marinated and grilled chicken to add to the dish. It was a big hit! I found the farro at our local Whole Foods. Thank you for the recipe.
I was able to find a large bag of organic pearled farro at Costco in San Diego FYI.
I was able to find a large bag of organic pearled farro at Costco in San Diego FYI.
What an amazing, and healthy recipe! Made it last night to go alongside dinner and my fiance raved about it. Brought leftovers to work today for my co-workers to try and they loved it too! Will definitely be adding this to my summer salad rotation -- thank you for sharing!
Wow, I am always amazed at the wonderful group of people that have been drawn together through Food52. After a little midnight browsing, I saw the string of comments, and it was so heartwarming to hear how this one little recipe has created raves and new avenues for creativity and looking at ingredients in a new light in your own homes.
I feel touched knowing I've shared a meal in some small way with each of you. Thank you for welcoming me into your kitchens.
Loved it. I used fresh mozzarella pearls and local " sweet 100 " cherry tomatoes. My husband loved it as well!
This was the most amazing recipe!! A mix of caprese salad and farro. My family is already wanting me to make it again. It is amazing! Our local grocery store makes handmade mozzarella daily. The only change I will make next time is add more olives and instead of mincing them, keep them a little bigger. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
I lucked out and our Whole Foods had farro. The lady checking me out said it had to be new because she had never seen or heard of it before.
Second time on my menu. Didn't have tomatoes nor mozzarella. Substituted parmesan and peaches add the other half of a roasted red onion (left over from a Bittman guacamole). Delightful. This recipe has provided me a new platform for using vegetables... thank you.
this recipe was good but I failed to notice the indication that it serves 12 people. now I have so much of this stuff I dont know what to do with it. seriously, I could have mixed the salad in the bathtub I had so much barley ( I used barley instead)
I could eat it all day, every day so if you don't want it, send it along! LOL Or Foist it on a neighbor.
Healthierkitchen, that's good to know about the difference in cooking times. Sounds like what's marketed as "farro" (at about five times the cost per pound, incidentally) cooks up a lot more quickly. I always pre-soak my whole grains by boiling them for a minute or two in the morning, covering, and then cooking them up in the evening, so it's never been a problem for me. Thanks! ;o)
That's a great idea! thirschfeld also recommended a soaking method in the string of posts on Merrill's farro dish. Farro can be pricey, but as laura21 noted, two cups serves a party.
For some reason, I couldn't find farro anywhere. I checked my local food co-op and at the large chain supermarket. I ended up using barley. I also changed up the ingredients to use what I had on hand, and it came out really good! I think the dressing is really what makes this dish.
My changes:
I used thyme, instead of basil and parsley.
I used feta, instead of mozzarella.
For veggies, I used spinach and grilled summer squash.
I left out the tomatoes and olives, since I didn't have them on hand.
I love how versatile this recipe is, and hopefully, I'll be able to find farro soon because I'd love to try it!
You could try asking for "spelt berries" when looking for farro, as that is how they are commonly known here in the US. ;o)
AJ is right that you can try spelt, but be forwarned that it will probably cook up differently! Most farro sold in the US is semi pearled (or "parlato") and, therefore, cooks a little faster. A while back I bought the bulk spelt at the co-op when they didn't have farro and it took forever to cook, guests waiting, family grumpy, etc. I'm guessing it was whole and not pearled at all. I can see in this recipe and I know in mine, the amount of cooking time for the farro would be very different than for spelt. ncavillones, you could also mail order the farro - I think I even saw it here on Food 52 in the Shop. Sorry to stick my 2 cents in, but figured I'd share my spelt experience.
Are there any Italian markets near you? I have no problem finding farro at my local Whole Foods, but it's everywhere at the Italian markets on Federal Hill and in Boston's North End, so checking an Italian market might be another option for you. Alternately, if any of your local stores carry the Rustichella d'Abruzzo brand of pastas, you might ask if they can order you their farro. You can also order direct from them online. Good luck!
thanks, all, for the suggestions! we do have a whole foods about 30 minutes from us, so i'll look there for the farro. i really want to try it!
Two nights ago I made a batch of this, along with Amanda's Shrimp Bittman and my own corn and cucumber salad. My favorite meal this summer. And, as has been pointed out here, it's completely addictive. You want to keep eating it forever.
This is downright addictive. Thanks for turning me on to farro Jennifer! Such nutty deliciousness.
i was inspired by this to make a salad with farro. i chopped up cucumber, orange bell pepper, scallions, parsely and mint, and added that to the farro {thanks for the great tip about cooking it with onion!}. i dressed it with olive oil, lemon juice, and chopped garlic. it was delicious.
This is what I love most about recipes—when they inspire people to think outside the box. Your creation sounds like a refreshing summer dish!
The salad is delicious even w/o the chopped onion. We really enjoyed it! It's best eaten the day it's made. I think next time I might replace the mozzarella with a more flavorful cheese.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. A little note about the mozzarella I use—it's from the local Italian shop is often still warm, having just been made. It has a creamy texture and flavor, something you won't find in a "fresh" mozzarella stocked in the refrigerated section of supermarkets (I'm not sure which you used). I'd love to hear what other cheeses you experiment using, and which is your favorite.
This went over REALLY well! Everyone at my salad pot-luck loved it!
It really is the kind you can keep eating by the forkful. In fact, there's some left in my fridge and I'm resisting the urge to sneak a bowl since it's almost 11:00pm.
Glad everyone is enjoying this recipe. It's my new favorite too. I also use a risotto technique to cook farro and the kids go crazy for it. It's a very versatile grain.
I absolutely love farro, and this dish looks amazing. Another great recipe, Jennie!
Does the recipe list anywhere to chop the other half of the onion and add it? Clearly seems to be what's intended, but I don't see that instruction.
Yes! Thank you for pointing that out. The instructions have been updated.
Faro is my new favorite grain... Ihave been eating it several times a week. Where was it all thesel years! Thanks for a grealt recipe!
Believe it or not, I have yet to try farro. This looks wonderful!
This looks delicious. I wish I could think of something more original to say. But it looks delicious.
Joanne Chang is the pastry chef/owner of Flour Bakery+Cafe and chef/co-owner of Myers+Chang in Boston.
Loved this salad. What a hit with the relatives! I made a sling change. I substituted goat cheese for the mozzarella, added roasted asparagus and used lemon juice and olive oil for the dressing. This is my new favorite.
Thanks for the inspiration Jennifer. This was my first time using farro thanks to you!