Diane Rossen Worthington

Farro Salad with Nectarines, Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts Recipe

In this farro salad recipe, sweet nectarines are paired with salty ricotta salata and the assertive grain in a creative combination that works beautifully. Remember that pearled and semi-pearled farro are different and require different cooking instructions.

When "Grain Mains" arrived on my desk, I couldn't wait to open it. I have followed the authors' blog Bruceandmark.com and know they have a passion for all things food. I was thrilled to see a fresh approach to cooking with whole grains.

There is often lack of clarity on how to use whole grains. In "Grain Mains," Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough make a giant effort not only to describe grains from amaranth to wheat berries but also detailed explanations on how to work with them. And the recipes make you want to get into the kitchen and cook.

There has clearly been a shift in consciousness about the nutritional value of different kinds of food. We know that we should be eating more whole grains. It occurred to me that, with the start of the school year, why not make it a plan to regularly inject some healthy and tasty grain salads into your menus?

[ More healthy whole-grain salads - Gazpacho-Style Wheat Berry Salad | Farro Salad Recipe with Vegetables, Chickpeas & Salami ]

Farro Salad with Nectarines, Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts

    Prep Time: 30 minutes

    Cook time: 60 minutes

    Yield: Serves 4

Farro Salad with Nectarines, Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts Ingredients

    1 cup whole-grain farro

    6 tablespoons pine nuts

    2 nectarines, chopped

    4 ounces ricotta salata, finely crumbled

    16 basil leaves, minced

    2 tablespoons almond oil, (olive oil can be substituted)

    1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Farro Salad with Nectarines, Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts Instructions

    1. Soak the farro in a big bowl of cool water for at least 8 and up to 16 hours. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve or small-holed colander set in a sink. Pour the farro into a large saucepan, cover with water by several inches, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain again in that sieve or colander, and then run under cool water to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly.

    2. Scatter the pine nuts in a dry skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 4 minutes.

    3. Pour the pine nuts into a large serving bowl. Add the cooked farro. Stir in everything else: the nectarines, ricotta salata, basil, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

    Make ahead: Store, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days. For a fresher taste, omit the ricotta salata until ready to serve, and add small amounts of the grated cheese to individual servings.

This Farro Salad Recipe with Nectarines, Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts recipe is reprinted with permission from "Cucina Povera: Tuscan Peasant Cooking" by Pamela Sheldon Johns.

[ More healthy whole-grain salads - Gazpacho-Style Wheat Berry Salad | Farro Salad Recipe with Vegetables, Chickpeas & Salami ]

Farro Salad Recipe with Nectarines, Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts, Whole grain salad Recipe, Healthy

 

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