Vegetable and Farro Soup

Why This Recipe Works

Farro is a staple of Umbria, where it actually predates common wheat. The Umbrians use humble ingredients to build a rich cuisine, and employ the good-for-you grain both whole and as flour, which they use to make gnocchi, pasta, and even crêpes. Umbrians also use coarsely ground farro to thicken and flavor soups like the classic minestra di farro , an incomparably hearty soup in which the nutty flavor of farro shines above all else. While ground farro isn't readily available in most American grocery stores, we were happy to discover that it's simple to create your own; six pulses in a blender were enough to break up the grain into smaller pieces. While a prosciutto bone may be a traditional flavor booster for this soup, we used readily accessible pancetta to deliver a similarly rich, salty note. Leeks, celery, and carrot contributed sweetness, and we loved that even the dark green parts of the leek softened in the time it took the farro to cook through. A sprinkling of fresh parsley and some freshly grated Pecorino Romano finished this humble soup.