Farro, the star ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, is regarded as the world’s most ancient grain. Read on to learn about its flavor, significance, and uses in the kitchen.
What is Farro?
Farro is a variety of whole-grain wheat belonging to the genus Triticum. It’s a highly nutritious grain packed with high amounts of protein, fiber, and minerals like iron, and magnesium. Farro looks a lot like barley in appearance, texture, and flavor. However, it’s more oblong, slightly bigger, and offers more nutrition than the latter.
Farro Varieties
Surprisingly, there is more than one variety of farro itself. Farro Piccolo, also called einkorn, is notable for being the very first wheat type cultivated on Earth. Farro Meido, commonly known as emmer, was first grown by Babylonians about 17,000 years ago and is currently quite a popular variety in Italy and the United States. Farro grande, or spelt, first originated in Iran or Southeastern Europe in 400 BC, and is still grown in some parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
What Does Farro Taste Like?
Farro offers a nutty flavor, somewhat similar to barley and light brown rice. Besides that, It also gives slightly sweet, cinnamony undernotes. Nicely cooked whole-grain farro pops in the mouth, giving a wholesome chew, just like whole wheat kernels and barley. Barley, in particular, is considered a close alternative to farro grains. Most importantly, farro isn’t a gluten-free grain, making it unsuitable for gluten-intolerant individuals and people with celiac disease.
How To Cook Farro?
There are many ways to cook farro including pressure cooking, boiling, absorption, and pasta style cooking. However, the pressure cooking method, being super quick and easy, is highly popular with farro, and also known as instant pot farro. This method uses water and farro in a 2:1 ratio and takes about 7 to 10 minutes to get a fully cooked farro. Or you can follow detailed instructions in this recipe for a hearty farro instant pot dish.
We’ve found the absorption method to be the next preferred way of cooking farro grains. This method makes the farro more nutritious as you don’t have to drain the excess water, but rather take an accurate amount of water to cook the farro grains until fluffy and tender. This method requires a water to farro ratio of 3:1. All you have to do is add your pre-measured farro into a pot of boiling water, cover it, and let simmer until all water is absorbed by the grains, and voila!
Recipes Using Farro
Prior to cooking farro, try toasting it in your oven until light brown and fragrant for a more satisfying nutty flavor. You can use farro as a starch base for salads, protein bowls, meat dishes, and stews. Farro is particularly enjoyed in the vegetarian or vegan diet owing to its meaty chew. Vegan burger patties, vegan meatballs, and soup dishes are just a few to name. Besides, it’s an important ingredient in Italian soups, risottos, and Italian stuffed zucchini.
Have a look at our all-time favorite farro recipes that are healthy, hearty, and a balanced treat for almost any palate.
Duck Breast with Toasted Farro, Shaved Fennel, Arugula and Grapefruit Salad
Crab Cakes with Summer Farro Salad
Tarragon-Panko Salmon with Swiss Chard and Farro
Cranberry Orange Chicken
Besides these savory farro recipes, you can incorporate this ancient grain in breakfast bowls, and sweet recipes like puddings. Our recipe for Ancient Grain Breakfast Bowl is one of the healthiest ways to start your day right!
Storage of Farro
Raw and sealed farro containers can stay fresh in your pantry for 2 to 3 months. However, they can be kept frozen in an air-tight container for up to six months. Besides, you can easily keep cooked farro in the fridge for up to 5 days. You’ll just need to reheat the refrigerated farro grains in boiling water to use them again.
Feature Image: Flickr user JoelRogness ( CC BY 2.0 )
