L’Insalata di Farro, Borlotti e Ceci  / Spelt, Borlotti Beans and Chickpea Salad

Whilst the Summer draws to a close with a whisper of Autumn just around the corner, I find this nutritious salad to be a perfect match and a delightful plate of food on our table, a half way between the seasons. Sweet ripe tomatoes, peppery and crunchy rucola leaves and thin slices of a delicate spring onion pair so well with the cooked until just tender pulses. A salad that I somehow hadn’t made in a very long while will surely reappear more often now in my cooking repertoire.

Serves 4-6:

• 200 g of dry pearled spelt (farro perlato)
• 200 g of dry borlotti beans (or cannellini beans)
• 200 g of dry chickpeas
• 2-3 sweet ripe tomatoes, cut into smaller pieces
• about 150 g pf wild rocket, roughly chopped
• a few slices of spring onion
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Soak overnight (in separate bowls) the spelt, borlotti beans and chickpeas.

Drain and boil them in separate smaller pots, starting by covering the dry pulses with just enough cold water (3-4 cm above the level) and simmering until just tender, about 20-30 minutes – the farro will need the shortest time to be ready. Switch the heat off, add some salt to each pan and leave for 20 minutes or so to cool down a little. Drain.

In a bowl toss the boiled grains, dress with olive oil and a generous drizzle of the balsamic vinegar. season with salt and black pepper.

Now add the rucola, tomatoes and the sliced onion. Toss everything gently, taste and season again –  especially with the balsamic vinegar and black pepper.

Serve this nutritious salad with hunks of a sourdough bread to mop up the juices.