Farro e Borlotti from the Via Carota Cookbook
Spelt, Cranberry Beans, and Smoked Pancetta
For this hearty side dish, we cook farro like risotto, toasting it first in fat and then adding water in two batches. The pork is a seasoning— we use whatever smoky or salty scraps of cured pork we have on hand, which is usually pancetta, a hock of prosciutto, or a piece of guanciale— but thick- cut bacon or leftover ham would work too. If using bacon, cook a couple of extra slices for serving on top.
A note on the beans: We think of borlotti for the Fall menu. In September, heaping piles of the marbled red pods can be found at farmer’s markets. Later in the season, when they are dried to a muted brown, we rely on them even more.
Makes About 8 cups, Serves 6
A 4 ounce (115 grams) piece of pancetta, guanciale, prosciutto, or ham
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups/375 grams pearled farro
3½ cups/840 ml water
Salt
3 cups cooked borlotti beans in their liquid (recipe below)
Directions:
Dice the pancetta (or other pork product, if using) into pieces about ¾ inch/2 cm. Coat the bottom of a medium saucepan with olive oil (1–2 tablespoons/15–30 ml) and add the pancetta, or other cured pork. Cook over medium heat until the pancetta is sizzling and golden brown at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and the farro, stirring to coat them thoroughly with the fat until the farro smells toasted, about 5 more minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the water to a simmer and add 1 teaspoon salt. Pour half of the water into the saucepan—it will make a loud noise and bubble actively. Cook, stirring frequently, until the water has been absorbed, 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining water and cook, stirring, until the farro is glossy and just tender, about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to add the beans to the skillet. Stir in enough of the bean- cooking liquid to give the farro and beans a little sauce. Heat until bubbling slowly, about 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with olive oil.
Borlotti or Cranberry Beans:
Makes 3 cups of beans
1¼ cups/about 225 grams dried cranberry beans (borlotti)
8 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Directions:
Pour the beans onto a plate and pick through them for any pebbles or clumps of soil, then place them in a sieve and rinse well. Place the beans in a bowl, cover with about 3 inches/ 7 cm cold water, and soak overnight.
The next day, drain the beans and place them in a pot with enough space for them to double in size. Cover with cold water by about 1 inch/2.5 cm and add the garlic. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the top. Pour in a generous splash of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons/30 ml). Reduce the heat so beans are simmering gently, cover the pot, and cook until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in salt (about 1½ teaspoons/4.5 grams) and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes. If not using them right away, cool the beans in their liquid and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
From Via Carota: A Celebration of Seasonal Cooking from the Beloved Greenwich Village Restaurant by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, with Anna Kovel. Copyright ©2022 by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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