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Farro with Chestnuts and Butternut Squash
Ingredients
  • 1 small (1-2 lb) or 1/2 large (3 lb) butternut squash, seeded, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks or use 1 lb. Root Cellar Foods prepared butternut squash, "large dice"
  • 3 cups water
  • 1½ cups uncooked farro or sprouted spelt from Conservation Grains or some of each
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced small
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves or 1 heaping teaspoon dried, crumbled
  • 1 cup roasted or steamed chestnuts or use fresh chestnuts, roasted and peeled
  • 2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable) Swanson's low sodium is ideal
  • 2-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash pieces in 1 tablespoon olive oil and tumble out onto a sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes which will partially cook the squash.

  2. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan with lid. Rinse the farro with water, drain and add to the pot with the salt. Cover the pot and bring back to boil then remove lid, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the farro is just tender, al dente, about 15 minutes (more like 25 for sprouted spelt). Drain off water and set aside. Yields about 3 cups cooked farro.

  3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan or dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onions and sage and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.

  4. Add the cooked farro and broth to the onions, and bring to a boil. Add the chestnuts and partially cooked squash, and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan leaving a small air gap, and cook at a slow simmer until most of the broth as been absorbed. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.