Farro & Mushroom Gratin

Like brown rice in texture but even tastier, the ancient whole grain farro (spelt wheat) is versatile and makes a lusciously delicious side or meatless main dish on a chilly spring evening. 4-6 servings.

Easy Ingredients:

· 6 tablespoons Villa Graziella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling

· 1 tablespoon Villa Graziella Organic Tuscan Herb Seasoning Blend for Vegetables

· 1 1/2 cups pearled, or semi-pearled farro

· 1-pound fresh mushrooms-cremini, maitake, oyster, portobello or shiitake. Cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces including stems.

· 1 cup thinly sliced leeks, onion, or shallots

· 1 cup mascarpone or crème fraiche

· 8 ounces shredded Gruyère (about 1 2/3 cups)

· 1 cup chopped parsley including the leaves and if tender, the stems

· ¼ teaspoon sea salt, Kosher fine

· ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

Simple Directions:

1. Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add farro to the pot and cook according to the package directions until tender.

2. Drain farro well in a colander, while still warm in the colander, drizzle the grains with olive oil to lightly coat, toss well to prevent from sticking, set aside.

3. As the farro cooks, in a large ovenproof skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms to the skillet in one layer without crowding and ½ tablespoon of Tuscan Herb Seasoning Blend for Vegetables.

4. Stir and sauté mushrooms until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer mushrooms to a plate.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet, repeat the process with a 2nd batch of mushrooms in 1 layer, add remaining ½ tablespoon of Tuscan Herb Seasoning Blend for Vegetables. Sauté until golden brown, 3-5 minutes, stir thoroughly, add to the plate, and set aside.

6. Over medium high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium low, add the leeks, onions or shallots, salt, and pepper. Sauté until tender and golden, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

7. Heat oven to 425F˚ degrees. Return mushrooms to the skillet with the leeks, stir in the farro, followed by the mascarpone cheese and 3/4 cup of chopped parsley, mix thoroughly. If needed, season to taste with Tuscan Herb Seasoning Blend for Vegetables, salt, and pepper.

8. Spread the mixture evenly in the skillet, sprinkle the Gruyère cheese on top and bake 10-15 minutes, until farro is hot and the cheese is melted.

9. Turn on broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble and brown.

10. Remove from oven, allow to rest 3-5 minutes, sprinkle with remaining parsley,

serve & enjoy.

Helpful Hints

· Cook farro, mushrooms and onions and assemble earlier, then bake and broil before serving.

· No Gruyère cheese on hand? Substitute with a quality parmesan cheese.

· No farro on hand? Substitute with barley or wheat berry, following the package cooking directions.

· Refrigerate covered up to 3 days.

Farro Facts

· Whole bran farro (fully coating the grain) is rich in fiber, fat, and protein. To soften grain and reduce cooking time, soak the farro in a bowl of water in the refrigerator overnight.

· Semi-pearled farro with only part of the bran can also be soaked overnight in the refrigerator to reduce cooking time.

· Pearled farro-bran free, does not require any soaking overnight and cooks quickest.

· Before cooking any farro (whole bran, semi or pearled), rinse in a fine mesh colander or strainer to remove any remaining dust from the process.

To download this recipe click here

Inspirational Recipe found here…https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022874-farro-and-mushroom-gratin

Tried, Tasted & True

We try & taste every recipe we feature. We enjoy sharing recipes, from our families, home cooks or chefs. We sometimes adjust them and want you to have a healthy & delicious experience. So, try them, tweak them, and please tell us about it! Take a photo and tag us on Facebook and Instagram @villagraziellaorganic.

We love seeing your creations and welcome your feedback.

Grazie da Team VILLA GRAZIELLA ORGANIC!