Tuscan Farro Salad
From Laura Di Lembo
2013 May/Jun
I first met farro in a hearty peasant soup while travelling with my husband in Tuscany a few years ago. My husband is fluent in Italian and was able to converse with our gregarious inn-keepers in Lucca, who were as passionate about farro as we were. They gave us this much-loved recipe for a marinated farro salad that is traditional in the region. The olive oil in Lucca is like liquid gold, thick and luscious, with a pronounced sweet olive taste. Look for a similar Tuscan olive oil in your fave Italian store. Farro salad can be prepared and kept in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Ingredients:
Salad:
- 1 c. farro*
- 1 c. corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned
- 2 c. ripe tomatoes, diced small
- 1 c. diced cucumbers, preferably seedless
- 1/4 c. finely diced Spanish or Vidalia onion
- 1 c. bocconcini pearls*, drained well, or fresh mozzarella, cubed
- 1 c. fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1 c. Italian flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Dressing:
- 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, preferably a luscious oil from Tuscany
- 1 T. red wine vinegar
- 1/2 t. Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook the farro in boiling salted water until it’s tender, about 1 hour. Drain well and lay it out on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Cook the fresh corn kernels in boiling salted water until they’re crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Frozen corn should also be cooked briefly. Drain the corn well.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing.
In a large bowl, combine the farro with the other salad ingredients. Mix the salad well.
Add the dressing and toss. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
*Farro and bocconcini pearls are available at Italian markets. Bocconcini pearls are also available at Costco and The Real Canadian Superstore.