Farro - A Wheat Grain

[FIRETHORN1 58]

Just wondered if any of you fellow Sheffield foodies have ever eaten or cooked with farro?  It's a wheat grain, and when cooked, it's supposed to be fairly similar in taste and texture to a nutty kind of pearl barley.  Apparently, it makes a really brilliant risotto.  I've cooked a   pearl barley risotto before, it turned out well and we really enjoyed it.  It made a nice alternative to using risotto rice.  I've searched high and low for farro, but haven't been able to find it in any shops - not even the poncey delicatessens.  It's available online, but costs a bomb - and when you add the delivery charge - well - it would probably  be cheaper to buy caviar! 

 

[medusa 16]

I have only had it once and thought that it was very much like spelt in flavour, but less firm.  Spelt is quite a lot chewier and so wouldn't make as good risotto, but I prefer it to pearl barley generally.  Orzotto (which is risotto made with barley instead of rice) is lovely though.

[FIRETHORN1 58]

Thanks Medusa. I've learned something from you! I bought something called Orzo in a fairly obscure ethnic shop  a couple of years ago - which I assume is the same thing as the Orzotto you refer to. I enjoyed it and looked for it again, but was never able to find it. I always assumed that Orzo/Orzotto was a kind of pasta, or maybe a kind of rice  - and it was only on reading your reply that I realized that it was actually a kind of barley.  I'll keep looking for farro or orzotto - but will use pearl barley as a substitute if I can't find it.