Kale and farro are beautifully paired, and since kale is at its best when its leaves have felt the bite of frost, this is a winter recipe.

See Also

More about Farro

Other Minestroni and Vegetable Soups

About Kale and other recipes

Ingredients

• 6-8 ounces (by weight; 200-225 g) farro, in whole grains
  
• 1/2 pound (225 g) borlotti or cranberry beans
  
• 1 1/4 pounds (550 g) canned tomatoes, chopped
  
• 2 ounces (50 g) pancetta
  
• 1 medium-sized onion
  
• 1 carrot
  
• 1 8-inch rib of celery
  
• 2 bunches kale (about a pound, 500 g if the leaves are individual), washed well and coarsely shredded. If you cannot find kale, use a pound of Savoy Cabbage instead.
  
• Olive oil
  
• Salt & pepper to taste

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 130 minutes

• Total Time: 160 minutes

Preparation

Begin by preparing the farro: Wash it well, picking out impurities such as bits of chaff, pebbles, or bad grains, and soak it for at least 8 hours. You should also cook the beans until close to being done in very lightly salted water. Blend the beans, reserving the liquid.

Mince the pancetta, onion, celery and carrot, and sauté the mixture in 1/3 cup olive oil (or 1/2 if you prefer) over a low flame.

Once the mixture has browned lightly stir in the tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes more, then add the kale and continue cooking until it wilts.

Stir in the blended beans and the water they cooked in, add the farro, and simmer the soup for 2 hours, stirring frequently. Should the soup become too thick add boiling water. Check seasoning towards the end of the cooking time, and then let the soup sit covered for an hour before serving it, with olive oil on the side.

A wine? A Bianco delle Colline Lucchesi, or perhaps an Est! Est! Est!

Yield: 4-6 servings Farro Soup with Kale