In my healthy Italian series, I take dishes I grew up eating and make them a little healthier. Farro is a type of grain with a nutty flavor and ancient roots. It’s an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium, zinc and some B vitamins. It’s a much healthier alternative to white rice or other refined grains. It has a great bite and nutty flavor and is the perfect accompaniment to mushrooms.
Place 1 cup of farro into a blender and pulse 8-9 times. This is just to crack the surface so the it will absorb the broth better and become creamy.
Prep your ingredients: Clean and slice the mushrooms, Dice the shallot.
Into a saute pan, add olive oil and shallot and saute until translucent. Add in mushrooms and saute for a few mins before adding the salt and pepper.
Warm up your broth in a pot and keep it near your pan as you prepare the farrotto.
Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the farro and toast them for a minute or so. Then deglaze the pan with white wine. Cook out the alcohol.
With the flame on medium, add a ladle full of broth at a time, stir occasionally and once the broth is mostly absorbed add more. Continue to do this until the farro is cooked to your liking. This process takes about 25 – 30 mins.
Once the farrotto is ready, add in butter and Parmigiano and stir to combine.
***Optionally, you can top it with a variety of seared mushrooms, if you are feeling fancy!
Serve with more grated Parmigiano and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and enjoy!