Minestra di Farro Lucchese

By LeeBoruchow

Farro soup, which could easily be last night's ribollita, thickened by adding farro.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, 1/2" dice
• 2 celery stalks, sliced into 1/4" pieces
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/4" half moons
• 1 leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
• 1 cup faro
• 1 15 oz can borlotti beans, rinsed and drained, or 3/4 cup dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight and drained, then simmered until tender
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Salt and pepper
• Water
• 1 1/2 cups fresh green peas
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation

Step 1

In a large Dutch oven or stockpan, heat the olive oil over medium-high until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the faro, beans, and tomato paste, stirring so that the tomato paste is spread throughout the pan. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Add water until the mixture is completely covered. Let the liquid come to a boil then lower the heat and let the soup simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Add the peas and continue to cook for another 30 minutes, adding more water when necessary to keep the soup from getting to dry. When done, the soup will be fairly thick.

Divide evenly between 4 warmed soup bowls and garnish with basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, grilled bread, and your best quality extra-virgin olive oil.