Farro Milanese | Saffron Farro

One day I was dreaming of a gorgeous Risotto alla Milanese I had at the historic Ristorante Antica La Rampina, one of Milan’s oldest osterias. As I browsed through the pantry, I found all the ingredients needed except the riso, rice!! Since that is the most important ingredient, I started to wonder if I could substitute something else. I had Farro, an Italian grain similar to barley, so I got cooking. What I discovered is farro took half the time to cook and looked every bit as golden as a Risotto Milanese. This sublime dish pairs very nicely with Valente Emozione No1, a gorgeous wine made from 100% Montonico grapes.

Receipt Date: August 14, 2020

Difficulty: Easy

Measurements: Imperial (US)

See ingredients, directions and pairings.

Ingredients

1 cup Farro, makes 2 cups

2-1/4 cups Broth, Vegetable or Chicken

1/4 cup White Wine

1 Yellow or White Onion, minced

2 Celery Ribs. minced

1 Carrot, minced

6 ounces Prosciutto, chopped

3 tablespoons EVOO

1/2 cup Pecorino Cheese, grated

4 Pinches of Saffron Threads, soak them in 1/4 cup of hot broth or water for at least 5 minutes.

Directions

Heat the EVOO in a medium-sized saucepan over medium. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, cooking until the onions begin to sweat. Add the prosciutto and cook for another 4 minutes. Stir in the Farro, make sure to coat the grains with the fat. Add the white wine and stir, cook, until slightly reduced. Stir in the saffron-infused liquid and then the broth. Cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Pecorino. Serve with a sprinkle more of cheese.