I love farro for its texture, specifically the nuttiness it adds to a dish, but I don’t love it for its price tag. It’s also not exactly gluten-free, so it has become an ingredient that I enjoy once in a blue moon when the mood really strikes. Well, the other night the mood struck. As I was walking through the isles of my local market with arugula in my basket, craving something refreshing for dinner, I happened to notice a bag of farro on the shelf. It’s rare that my local market has this delectable grain in stock, so after a bit of brain churning, and a little drooling over fresh herbs that I spotted in a nearby isle, I tossed the farro into my basket.

This arugula that I had originally picked up for the next day’s lunch was about to meet it’s new friends farro, thyme, chive and cherry tomato, and it was going to like it- and so was I (I hoped). When I got home, I sliced up my fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped up my herbs and let them all marinate together in a bowl of olive oil with a little salt and pepper while I cooked the farro.

By the time the farro finished cooking, the tomatoes had absorbed some nice flavor so I tossed the two together, added some arugula and sherry vinegar, and topped with grated Pecorino Romano. The fresh summer herbs and the spice of the arugula combined beautifully with the nuttiness of the farro and Pecorino, and the sherry vinegar gave it just the kick that it needed. After making this dish, I may get the urge to indulge in farro a little bit more often. Here’s how to make it…

1 cup farro
small pot of water to boil farro
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup baby arugula
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs sherry vinegar
1/8 cup chopped fresh thyme
1/8 cup chopped fresh chives
1/8 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste.

In a medium bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, olive oil, thyme, chives and a sprinkle of salt in pepper. Mix together and let sit while you cook the farro. To cook the farro, bring a small pot of water to boil and add farro. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until farro is cooked, but still nutty in texture. Drain farro in a strainer and rinse with cool water to bring to room temperature. In a medium bowl, mix the tomato, herb and olive oil mixture into the farro, add arugula, followed by sherry vinegar and mix everything together. Top with Pecorino Romano and salt and pepper to taste.