Farro with Broccoli Rabe Pesto

(Jane Bruce)

Coming from a Barese family, eating broccoli rabe is non-negiotable — it's a staple. In my grandmother's town of Adelfia in Bari, Italy, the cousin of spinach and the sister to broccoli was on the table quite often. What wasn't on the table ever? Farro.

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Prep Time:

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Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccoli rabe, cleaned and trimmed

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided

1/4 cup raw walnuts, chopped and divided

1 cup Italian farro

salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Steam the broccoli rabe and drain in a colander and let it rest for 3-4 minutes.

When cool, chop lightly by hand and place the broccoli rabe, garlic, 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano, oil, and ½ of the walnuts in a food processor and blend until smooth but fairly thick.

Put aside. boil the farro in a small pot until it is soft but still has a crunchy texture, about 10 minutes.

In a sauté pan, bring 2 tablespoons of the pesto and the farro together. Top with remaining Parmigiano and cover with lid for 2 minutes. When serving, sprinkle with remaining walnuts, salt, and pepper, to taste.