We knew in that moment…
With the house smelling very strongly of paint and polyurethane, we were quite ready to dial up the antidote for ‘new house’ smell, and for us, that could only mean one thing…homemade sauce.
If I were a betting person, I’d wager that this is the aroma we most identify as ‘home’.
Desperate for our ‘comfy house’ smell, I put a pot on the burner, certain that the moment the onion hit the sizzling oil, my shoulders would drop and my body would relax. All is right in the world when there’s a pot of sauce simmering. And it’s even more right when Italian farro and chickpeas get involved.
Let’s go back in time, shall we? More than a month ago Hubby and I spent a few days in Florida. By the time we checked into the hotel, unpacked, and made our way to the beach we were famished.
What happened next is nothing short of a miracle.
Along with our perfectly frothy piña coladas adorned with periwinkle blue umbrellas, we ordered salads filled with roasted veggies, grilled chicken, dressed in a citrusy balsamic vinaigrette all set atop…wait for it…farro. Ahhh! Who knew? This ideal little grain packed with fiber, nutrients, flavor and satisfaction would be the thing we had been searching for our whole lives.
Seated side-by-side, brushing elbows, staring across the table at the ferocious waves, while experiencing the heat of the sun on our backs, we knew in that moment…farro would forever be a part of our lives. It was a beautiful moment.
Speaking of beautiful, this dish has the markings of a meal my ancestors might have dished up a thousand years ago, give or take (minus the tomato sauce until just a few hundred years ago). Italian farro, born in the Mediterranean, along with sauce studded with onion and garlic, chickpeas and Pecorino-Romano cheese, all come together to create this rustic, hearty, soul-satisfying dish.
Once your sauce is made, it’s just a matter of frying up your garlic, adding chickpeas to the same pot, pouring in some sauce and allowing the flavors to meld while preparing the farro. You’re as close to ‘home’ as 30 minutes.
That sounds good to me.
Buon Appetito!
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Italian Farro with Chickpeas and Tomato Sauce
- Category: Dinner
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 29 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups cooked sauce
- 1 cup dry farro
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- Pecorino-Romano
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and sauté until it begins to brown.
- Add the chickpeas and season with salt and pepper.
- After 3 minutes, pour in the sauce and 1/2 cup water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare farro.
- Combine one cup of rinsed farro with 1 1/2 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower heat to Low and cover for 15 minutes.
- Remove from burner and let sit with cover on for 5 minutes.
- Remove cover, fluff with fork and drain any residual water.
- Add cooked farro with sauce and chickpeas.
- Top with red pepper flakes and grated Romano.
- Serve.
Yes, I realize the crust of bread looks like a puffy little top hat. That’s okay. This dish deserves a puffy little top hat.
Wait! I’m not done…. How ’bout I share a few more of my faves just in case you missed ’em the first time around…
Stuffed Shells with Spinach Ricotta & Roasted Sweet Red Pepper Sauce
Okay…I’m done!
Ciao!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! A great starting place to play. I added finely chopped onion, an aging tomato, and yellow bell pepper this time – I think zucchini would also be delicious. And since my motivation for making it was to use up leftover plain tomato sauce from another recipe, I added Italian dried herb to make it a little more interesting. Turned out great!
That sounds delightful!! Thanks for stopping by!
FARRO!! AKA my current favorite whole grain. It’s totally the best, right!? Love that you’ve paired it with a simple tomato sauce and chickpeas…tastes like comfort to me!
It is totally the best!! You can’t go wrong when farro is involved! Thanks, Joanne!
I love that story of how farro came to be in your life! What a vision! I have never cooked with it myself before and THIS is what I’m going to make when I do!
That is happiness! I think you’ll really like it! Thanks, dear!
Homemade tomato sauce is the best! I have been loving farro lately and this sauce is perfect for weeknight meals.
Oh yeah!! Thanks, Ashley!
OMG I can’t believe I missed this one! Love it! I’ve been looking for a farro recipe for a while now! Pinning to try it soon! So glad you discovered it in Florida 🙂
You and me both! It was as lovely a take away from that trip as my hubby’s tan was….I always burn! I hope you like it, Mira!! Enjoy! 🙂
There’s nothing quite like the smell of homemade sauce. love it!!! and this is like the ultimate Italian comfort food. . I love farro!!! and the onion and garlic, chickpeas and Pecorino-Romano cheese (one of my faves!) oh my, love love love this dish, Annie! Brilliant!!
Hi Alice! It’s so true, isn’t it? The smell of sauce gets me every time! So love that you love it!! Enjoy, my friend! 🙂
Annie – What a great idea. I’ve never had farro before, but it looks hearty and filling. I love the favors in this dish especially the chickpeas.
I think you’ll really like it, Erin! Thanks for stopping by!
Haha I love your first run-in with farro. It’s one of my favorites and this dish looks SO delightful!!
Why thank you very much! 🙂
Brilliant! I love how easy this is. It’s like a modern take on risotto. Comforting, tasty … and very healthy, too!
Hi Helen, Thank you!! Gosh, I didn’t think of it that way but you are on to something, there…a modern take on risotto. I love it!
Farro is my favorite whole grain! It fulfills my pasta cravings while preventing any carb crash. I’d love to try it with chickpeas. What a hearty, delicious meal!
We love it! And the chickpeas are a nice addition.
This sauce need to happen ASAP! YUM!!!
Enjoy, my friend!
You are SO cute!! I love the intro!! Now I NEED homemade sauce in my life! Seriously, this recipe looks amazingly delicious!! Thanks so much for sharing! Hope that you have a great weekend 🙂
Hahah! Thanks, Cailee! Sauce just does that to people! Have a beautiful weekend! 🙂
I haven’t had farro in ages! Thanks for another knock-out recipe and some inspiration to put farro on the grocery list this week!
Awesome!! It’s so enjoyable! Thanks, Kari!
I can never resist a delicious tomato sauce with chickpeas in it! Loving the use of farro. I’m still pretty new to using farro and this looks like a great recipe to try. thanks for sharing, Annie!
Mm-hmmm! I think you’re going to love it! Thanks, Savita!
Oh goodness.. I’m salivating like a rabid dog over here! chickpeas and anything tomato based is such a wonderful combination, but you took that to a whole new level! I can smell the deliciousness in my imagination… and it smells GREAT! I bet this will be love at first bite! Cheers ♡
It was love at first bite, for sure!! Thanks so much, friend! 🙂
Nothing says comfort in a house like a good home cooked meal — especially one that involves a pot of yummy sauce! This looks fantastic, Annie! I love the farro and chickpeas in here! So hearty and delicious!
It’s a nice combination! Thanks, Kelly!
This looks awesome! So delicious and love those chickpeas. Pinning 🙂
Thank you, Medha! 🙂
What a great story, Annie! You really made me miss Florida and want to go back! I’ve never had farro either. I’m going to have to try it. Too bad I can’t do it in Florida like you guys did! 🙂
Thanks, Rachelle! I wish you could try them in Florida, too! Haha! I don’t know, maybe it was the salty air but that bowl of farro was the best! It also helped that we were starving. A perfect storm of events that brought this beautiful little grain into our lives! 🙂
Oh this dish looks just perfect, Annie! I love this homemade tomato sauce. And such a great idea to add in chickpeas, too!
Ya know, when you’re done with a bowl of this you feel like you’ve eaten something. So hearty! And chickpeas make everything taste better! Am I right? Thanks, Gayle! Have a great weekend!
What a lovely setting in Florida, and a perfect place to discover, of all things, Farro! Who knew!? Love this recipe, Annie. Simple, ingredients, but not on taste. Satisfying, rich and so nourishing. All the things I love in a hearty meal.
How’s the comfy house smell? We’ve painting on our list this summer… just a bit more to do and the entire house will be done! (It’s only taken us three years!) HA! Have a beautiful weekend, my friend!
Exactly! It was an unlikely discovery under the hot rays of the Florida sun but boy were we excited. Haha! How awesome that you’ll be finished with your painting this summer – that is quite an undertaking! Have a great weekend, my friend!