Tuscan Farro Soup

I have so many friends coming down with Shingles lately – even my husband who had been recently vaccinated! The latest was friend and neighbor Cathie, with severe pain that took her to the ER in the middle of the night. Casey’s was fairly mild, probably due to the vaccinations, but still uncomfortable and concerning.

So Cathie clearly deserved a soup delivery, and this was one I had been wanting to try. It’s healthy, full of fiber, filling and delicious; and can be found on the menu of every restaurant in the city of Lucca in Tuscany. Thanks to Mark Bittman from the NYT for this great recipe. And I borrowed his photo as well, as I forgot to snap one before leaving the pot on my friend’s doorstep.

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

Salt and pepper

1 Tbs. minced garlic

1 cup farro, spelt, or barley

1 cup dried white beans, soaked for several hours or overnight ( or two cans white beans, drained)

2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine, do not drain)

6 cups stock or water, more as necessary

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, optional

Freshly grated Parmesan

Put oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat; a minute later add onion, celery, carrots, a large pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook until vegetables are glossy and onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, and stir; add farro, beans, tomatoes and stock, and stir.

Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until farro and beans are tender, at least an hour, adding stock or water as necessary if mixture becomes too thick. Stir in parsley and basil (if using), then cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve with lots of Parmesan.
Note: As with risotto, I found replacing 1/2 cup of the stock with dry white wine added a depth of flavor. A Parmesan rind simmering away another great addition. If using canned beans the soup may be ready sooner; although my farro took much longer to soften than the half hour noted on the package. I have read that canned chopped tomatoes contain calcium chloride to help them keep their shape, and that this keeps beans from softening. So if you aren’t using canned beans you may want to add the tomatoes towards the end.