Snowmageddon 2016 – a food blogger’s dream! Two feet of snow outside with more still to come….not much else to do than hunker down and COOK! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Happy, happy, happy girl!
First up – stock! Clear out that freezer and put up a good ‘ole pot of stock. Check. Those chicken bones, veggie scraps and parmesan rinds are simmering away in a my big ‘ole white pot. (House smells yummy.)
Next up – clear out the pantry! Double check. Do I really have 6 bags of farro?
Hmmmm. I perhaps am scarred from the time last year when I was hoping to make a farro risotto for company – but when I went to the market, there was nary a farro grain to be found. So now, worried that their might be a worldwide shortage of farro, I buy it whenever I can find it on sale. Guess there have been alot of sales lately! So what does one do with lots of farro and some extra carrots and zucchini? Add tomatoes and oodles of cheese and turn it into lunch. And with no end to the snow in sight, I even have time to post the recipe. So here you go – recipe below!
For added pleasure, the view from my back patio door. My little stained glass lemon looks so cherry against the white backdrop…a little Our Italian Table lemon love from my table to yours!
Happy snow day! Off to find something to do with 3 bags of chickpea flour 🙂
Hugs,
xoxo
Michele
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Snowmageddon 2016! Cooking Up a Storm – Baked Farro with Winter Vegetables
Ingredients
- For the farro:
- 1 cup farro
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 large or 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 cups diced or pureed tomatoes
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
- For the vegetables:
- 2 small zucchini
- 2 large carrots
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Make the farro: Combine the farro, broth, salt and olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until still slightly chewy (‘al dente’), about 15 minutes. You want the farro to be slightly undercooked as it will cook further in the oven. Drain, reserving the broth. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium heavy sauce pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot. Sauté for a few minutes until the vegetables are sizzling. Turn the heat to low and continue to sauté until the vegetables become soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and add in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add in the cooked farro and cook for another minute to incorporate. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of the grated Parmigiano.
- Prep the veggies: Using either a spiralizer or a mandolin, cut the zucchini and remaining 2 carrots into long spaghetti-like strands. Place into a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Assemble the dish: Grease a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil. Distribute a layer of the vegetables, some of the farro sauce, then the rest of the vegetables and sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the oven. Uncover. Sprinkle top with additional 1/4 cup Parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil. Turn on the broiler and broil until the top is brown and crispy. Serve!