Farro is one of the oldest grains grown on the planet, but recently it has been overlooked in favour of on-trend grains like couscous, quinoa and amaranth.
I have a penchant for farro because it often gets mistranslated as “spelt”, when the Italian name is perfectly acceptable in English too. The confusion arises from the colloquial use of the word for certain species. Emmer grown in the Garfagnana area of Tuscany, north of Lucca, is known as farro and safeguarded by IGT protected designation of origin status. Indeed, emmer is the most common variety grown throughout Italy, especially in the mountains of Tuscany and Abruzzo. Cooks and farmers actually regard emmer, or Triticum dicoccum if we’re getting technical, as a better cooking grain than einkorn (Triticum monococcum) or spelt (Triticum spelta)—eccolo!
Whatever you choose to call it, farro is one of the healthiest grains around. Rich in protein, fibre and nutrients like magnesium and iron, the fact that it’s an unprocessed grain means that it is infinitely better for your body than white rice and can pretty much be used as a direct substitute. Look out for Farro IGP della Garfagnana as well as by grains grown by Tuscan producers such as Poggio del Farro (Firenzuola), Pieve a Salti (Siena) and Il Cerreto (Pisa).
This is the soup I make when the winter doldrums hit and soul food is the order of the day. My favourite part? That moment when the coriander and cumin release their exotic essences into the air, before I bash them into submission with my pestle and mortar. Seasonal affective disorder denied. SAD no more.
Ph. Alexandra Korey
RECIPE
Zuppa di carote con farro
(Carrot soup with farro)
Serves 4
Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil
1kg carrots, peeled and topped and tailed
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped in half
½ tsp dried coriander seeds
½ tsp dried cumin seeds
1 litre vegetable stock, boiling
150g farro
Preheat the oven as high as it will go. Put a roasting tray into the heated oven and drizzle with olive oil.
Chop the carrots into medium-sized sticks and toss into the hot roasting tray with the onion and garlic.
In a pan over high heat, dry roast the coriander and cumin until they release their sumptuous aromas. Crush as much as possible in a pestle and mortar. Stir the toasted herbs into the carrots.
Continue roasting for 25 minutes, or until browned and softened.
Transfer the carrots, onion and garlic into a deep saucepan and cover with hot vegetable stock. Puree until smooth.
In a separate saucepan, cook the farro in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Ladle the carrot soup into bowls and top with a serving of farro.
Drizzle with the nicest extra-virgin olive oil you have. I like Castello di Ama or Fattoria Lavacchio.
