A chilly day needs a warm pot of soup..farro and lentil soup (minestra) with crostini..for a still brisk Spring day..my heart has a deep wish for Spring and its' fresh recipes but the chill in the air tells me 'not so fast'.. winter won't let go...
The beautiful mountains in Abruzzo are still capped with snow, almost like frosting on a cupcake. I could complain but the snow capped mountains add to the beauty of the landscape, like adding color to a painting...so have a bowl of soup to keep warm and enjoy the scenery..
Farro is a most misunderstood grain..there are 3 types of farro known as farro piccolo, farro grande and farro medio..or respectively they are also called Emmer, spelt and Einkorn. Farro medio or Emmer is grown in Abruzzo and Tuscany and is considered the best for cooking.
Minestra Di Farro
INGREDIENTS
*Handful of fresh parsley, washed and chopped
*2 tablespooons of extra virgin olive oil
*1 small golden onion chopped
*2 cloves of garlic
*2 quarts of vegetable broth
*1 cup dried lentils
*Pinch of salt
*1 cup farro perlato
Soak dried lentils in water overnight or for at least 4 hours, drain and set aside. Place broth in pot and warm till hot.
Wash parsley and chop the leaves finely. Place olive oil in a large soup pot and warm, then place in whole garlic and finely chopped onions. Saute on low heat till golden. Add in ½ cup of hot broth, chopped parsley, drained lentils, stir and let this mixture come to a boil. Then add in remaining broth, pinch of salt. Place heat to low, cover and stir, let cook for 10 minutes. Raise to medium heat and add in farro perlato and cook for 30 minutes covered, stirring every so often, adding more water if needed.
Slice crusty bread, grill, toast or broil, put in bottom of soup plate, drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top, serve hot soup on top of bread slice...
For more recipes get your copy of (Gourmand World Award Winner)The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions -2nd edition
