Warm Tuscan Farro Salad

Calories 373
Makes 6 Servings (about 7 cups)
Total Time: 35 minutes

FOR THE FARRO, BOIL:
3 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups semi-pearled dry farro, rinsed (12 ozs.)

SAUTE:
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 cups chopped kale (5 ozs.)
1/4 cup water
2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup shaved pecorino (1.5 ozs)
Minced zest of 1 lemon

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE, WHISK:
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
For the farro, boil water and salt in a saucepan. Add farro, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 15-20 minutes; remove from heat and drain any excess water.

Saute shallots, garlic and pepper flakes in oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, 1 minute. Stir in kale and 1/4 cup water; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and salt. Stir in farro, pecorino, and zest.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together basil, 1/4 cup oil, and lemon juice; season with 1/2 tsp. salt and black pepper. Toss salad with vinaigrette to coat.

I give this recipe 5 stars. It's great warm, and even better cold the next day!

Posted by Debi
Source: Cuisine at Home magazine

Carrabba's Herb Mix (for dipping bread)

INGREDIENTS

1 t. rosemary
1 t. Italian parsley, minced
1 t. fresh basil, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. dry oregano
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a shallow dish and mix together using the back of a spoon.

Take one teaspoon of paste and place in dipping bowl. Pour Borges 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed over herb paste.

Serve with fresh, hot bread.

Posted by Debi Walter

Tuscan Pasta Salad

I made this tonight using a recipe from a box, but changing it according to the ingredients I had on hand. You can serve it hot or cold. It turned out to be fantastic!

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 15 minutes
Rating: 5 stars

INGREDIENTS:
1 16 oz. box pasta of your choice (I used Barilla Elbow and Bow Tie)
8 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
3 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 cups shredded cheese (six cheese Italian blend)
20 leaves fresh basil or 1 T. dried basil
2 T. pine nuts
1 t. minced garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to package directions minus 1 minute. Drain well. Pour pasta into a large bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil and add all other ingredients. Stir well. Serve immediately, or chill to serve cold.

Posted by Debi

improv pesto

I love pesto in the middle of summer when I can use the herbs growing right on my porch. This is a variation on a more traditional pesto, built on the idea of using my Thai basil and flat-leaf parsley as principle ingredients and the Italian basil as background. It makes about 3/4 cup - 1 cup, but can easily be doubled. And it freezes nicely in ice cube trays if you have extra. I've also added a few serving variations below...

4-5 cloves garlic (to taste, I do love garlic)

1/4 cup of Italian basil leaves

1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup of Thai basil

1/3 cup of walnuts

Olive oil

Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

I barely touched the garlic and herbs and just dropped it all in the food processor to find the right chunkiness. Then I added some olive oil and blended it more. How much olive oil is a matter of taste, and desired smoothness. I added just a bit of cheese because I wanted to shave the pecorino on top at the end. Again, this is a personal preference. Adding more cheese makes it creamier.

Whatever pasta is fine; I like angel hair because it seems to soak up everything nicely. I topped it with pecorino and salt + pepper....

Now, on the second day, with the leftover pesto... I hit on my favorite. After boiling the pasta and thowing it back in the pan with the pesto, I added a handful of fresh spinach leaves. They wilted nicely while I chopped a handful of grape tomatoes and more fresh parsley. To serve, I pulled out a portion of the pesto and lovely spinach and then topped it with chopped raw tomatoes, parsley, and a little salt. Because I didn't add too much oil to begin with, I touched off the top with a drop of olive oil. This version adds more veggies and eliminates the cheese, but the other flavors work really well together. Enjoy playing...