Farro gets dressed up in the wonderful colors of Italy

Farro is a food product consisting of the grains of certain wheat species in whole form. The exact definition is debated.  It is sold dried and is prepared by cooking in water until soft, but still crunchy (many recommend first soaking over night). It may be eaten plain, though it is often used as an ingredient in dishes such as salads and soups. It is sometimes ground into flour and used to make pasta or bread. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

A wonderful way of preparing Farro is to cook as directed in water or chicken stock and then adding it to a medley of sauteed peppers, garlic, and onion. Prepared this way, Farro can be served as an entree for vegetarians or as a side dish to chicken, fish, or pork. The preparation is very easy and takes no time.

To prepare the Farro, bring 3 cups of water or chicken stock to a boil for 1 cup of Farro. Boil for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until al dente. Drain the grain and set aside.

Prepare a medley of vegetables for saute. For this recipe, the following items were selected:

1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
2 pinches of roasted Spanish Paprika
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 pinches of dried basil
1/2 cup of white wine (dry)
1 squeeze of 1/2 lime

Heat the oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the peppers and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Next add the onions and continue to saute 5 more minutes. Finally, add the garlic and tomato. Stir well and add the wine and all other ingredients. Stir until well mixed. Reduce heat and allow to cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.

As a final step, add the Farro into the sauteed medley and mix well. Check for seasoning and add a bit more salt if needed. Serve hot or allow to cool to room temperature and serve with a drizzle of olive oil. This method of preparing Farro incorporates wonderful rich flavors with the Farro soaking up the juices. It's just simply wonderful.