Insalata di farro
A summer salad from Tuscany and Umbria, where farro, or emmer — an ancient species of wheat — has been grown since Roman times. Chewy, nutty grains tossed with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumber, olives and basil, drizzled with good olive oil. It is filling, travels well and does not wilt — ideal for picnics and packed lunches. The secret: the grain is dressed with oil and vinegar while warm, when it absorbs the dressing, and the vegetables and cheese go in only once it has cooled.
Your own work in that: 5 min.
- Cooking the farro 25 min
- Cooling 20 min
- Chopping 10 min
- Combining 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneRinse and cook the farro
Rinse the farro and cook it in plenty of salted water 20–25 minutes, until tender but springy and slightly firm in the centre. Semi-pearled farro (semiperlato) needs no soaking; soak whole farro overnight and cook it longer.
Ingredients: 250 g semi-pearled farro (emmer) · 1500 ml water · 2 tsp salt
Tender but springy — not overcooked.Drain and dress while warm
Drain the farro and at once, while warm, toss it in a large bowl with the oil, vinegar, grated lemon zest and pepper. Warm grain absorbs the dressing; cold grain only gets coated.
Ingredients: 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 2 tbsp red wine vinegar · ½ pcs lemon, grated zest · ½ tsp black pepper
While warm — the grain drinks up the dressing.Cool
Spread the farro in the bowl and cool it to room temperature (about 20 minutes), stirring now and then. Hot grain would melt the mozzarella and wilt the basil.
Ingredients: 250 g semi-pearled farro (emmer) · 1500 ml water · 2 tsp salt
Chop the vegetables
Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and slice the onion into thin half-moons. You can soak the onion 10 minutes in cold water to mellow it.
Ingredients: 250 g cherry tomatoes · 130 g mini mozzarella balls · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 12 pcs black olives · 15 pcs basil
Drain the mozzarella
Drain the mozzarella balls and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Tear a larger mozzarella into pieces.
Ingredients: 250 g cherry tomatoes · 130 g mini mozzarella balls · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 12 pcs black olives · 15 pcs basil
Combine everything
Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and mozzarella to the farro and fold gently.
Ingredients: 250 g cherry tomatoes · 130 g mini mozzarella balls · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 12 pcs black olives · 15 pcs basil
Once cool — the mozzarella stays in pieces.Add basil and season
Tear in the basil leaves and stir. Taste and season with salt, pepper and a little more oil.
Ingredients: 250 g cherry tomatoes · 130 g mini mozzarella balls · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 12 pcs black olives · 15 pcs basil
Serve
Serve at room temperature, as a light lunch or with grilled fish. It travels well — take it on a picnic in a cool bag, as mozzarella should not sit in the warmth for more than 2 hours.
Ingredients: 250 g semi-pearled farro (emmer) · 1500 ml water · 2 tsp salt
Before you start
Replacing farro
If you cannot find farro, use spelt grains, pearl barley or wheat berries. Each cooks differently — pearl barley takes about 30 minutes, whole spelt and wheat berries as long as 45–60 minutes. Start checking from 20 minutes.
Seasonal versions
In autumn swap the tomatoes and mozzarella for roasted squash, rocket and pecorino. Farro also takes well to grilled courgette and peppers.
Storage
The salad keeps 2 days in the fridge; add fresh basil just before serving. Take it out half an hour before eating — cold farro is firm and the oil thickens.
