I can think of at least ten ways to prepare minestra di farro (AKA spelt minestra), and they are all sure to yield great results. However, for the sake of keeping it simple and authentic, we are going to take a few shortcuts, whilst at the same time trying to keep the flavours bold, and Italian of course. There isn’t a better season than winter to enjoy a warming minestra, and since here in Scotland we are currently living at freezing temperatures, it makes even more sense to promptly share this preparation with you. Buon appetito!
½ cupspelt, uncooked (or barley)
1 mediumcarrot
1 stickcelery
1 mediumonion
1 mediumtomato
1bay leaf
½ tsppaprika
¼ tspcayenne pepper
2 cupwater (or stock)
salt to taste
Instructions
- To begin with, cook the spelt (or any other preferred whole grain) as instructed on the packet.
- Slice the carrots and the onions, and then dice the tomatoes.
- Tip the onions, the bay leaf and a little water from the recipe into a saucepan, place it over a medium heat, and sweat the onions until they are soft and translucent (about five minutes).
- Add in the carrots, the celery, the tomatoes, the paprika, and the cayenne pepper and stir well to combine. Cook the ingredients for two minutes before moving on.
- Add in the rest of the water, salt to taste, then stir, bring the liquid to a gentle boil and cook the ingredients for the last five minutes.
- Once the time has elapsed, you simply have to add in the cooked grains and stir to complete the dish. Remember to remove the bay leaf from the pan before serving.
Substitutions and Tips
- The spices can be substituted by any other spice you like. However, cayenne and paprika work beautifully well in this recipe.
- Fresh tomatoes can be substituted by tinned ones.
- Spelt is just an option, you can use any other grain you want for this recipe. However, whole grains are best because they keep their shape better.
Yield, Times and Info
Makes: 2 servings
Preparation Time: 10m
Cooking Time: 10m
Total Time: 20m
Storage Times: Keeps for 2 days in the fridge
Preparation Time: 10m
Cooking Time: 10m
Total Time: 20m
Storage Times: Keeps for 2 days in the fridge
Nutritional Info
Serving Size: 500g (½ recipe) Calories: 234kcal Carbohydrate: 50g Starch: 29g Sugar: 10g Fiber: 9g Fat: 1.6g Saturated Fat: 0.3g Unsaturated Fat: 1.3g Protein: 9.4g Sodium: 273mg Water: 436g
