Basic Farro

Recipe from The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger & Julie Kaufmann

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes about 2 cups (serves 3-4)

Well, I’ve found my new favorite whole grain, farro. If you are looking for a change of pace from brown rice or bulgur or even whole-wheat couscous, give farro a try.  It’s satisfyingly chewy, easily digestible, and very filling.  You might find it in the bulk section of your grocery store, but Bob’s Red Mill packages it complete with directions for stove top cooking.  I have a rice cooker that I use several times a week (totally worth the investment) and so I prepare the farro in it.  There are dry skillet toasting and then soaking steps which I don’t think the package directions require, but I think these two steps are worth the little time it takes before cooking.

1 cup farro

1 ½ cups water or vegetable broth

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

Place the farro in a dry skillet over medium-high heat.  Toast, stirring constantly, until the grains pop and deepen in color, about 4 minutes. Place the toasted farro and the water (or broth) in the rice cooker bowl.  (You’ll hear it sizzle.) Let the farro soak in the machine for 1 hour.  Add the oil and salt; swirl to combine.  Close the cover and set for the Regular/Brown Rice cycle.  When the machine switches to the Keep Warm cycle, let the farro steam for 1- minutes. Fluff with a wooden spoon or plastic rice paddle.  This farro will hold on Keep Warm for up to 1 hour.  Serve hot. (If you have left over, store it in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave.)

Nutritional Information: ¼ cup of uncooked farro contains 150 calories, 1g fat, 32g carbohydrates, 6g protein, and 3g of fiber. It is high in the minerals iron and calcium, and is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the B vitamins.