FARRO WITH TUNA AND TOMATOES

Farro with Tuna and Tomatoes image

Here's another of my delicious discoveries at Le Lampare, in Trani. Farro is again paired with seafood, the simply cooked grain tossed and dressed, like pasta, with a lively sauce of cured tuna, tomatoes, and capers. We can't match the tuna used at Le Lampare-theirs was expertly house-cured from the flavorful and expensive ventresca (belly flap) of the fish-but with this recipe you can make a version that is truly delicious in its own right, using good-quality Italian canned tuna (packed in olive oil, of course). It is a great summer dish, as a main course or an appetizer.

Yield serves 6 as a first course, 4 as a main course

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 pound farro (or 500 grams, as packaged in Italy)
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
About 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more if needed
6 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes
3 cups (or a 28-ounce can) canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
4 tablespoons small capers, drained
Two 6-ounce cans tuna in olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
A heavy 3- or 4-quart saucepan
A heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet

Steps:

Rinse the farro well, and drain in a sieve. Put it in the pot with 6 cups of water, the bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, then set the cover slightly ajar and adjust the heat to maintain a steady, bubbling simmer. Cook about 1/2 hour, stirring from time to time, until the farro grains are cooked through but still al dente, then turn off the heat. Most of the liquid should have been absorbed; if there's water still visible, pour it off. Discard the bay leaves. Keep the farro in the covered pot to stay warm while you make the sauce.
Pour 1/3 cup of the olive oil into the big skillet, and set over medium-high heat. Scatter the sliced garlic and peperoncino in the pan, and cook for a couple of minutes, to caramelize. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the capers, and heat to a moderate boil, letting the tomatoes bubble away, uncovered.
Meanwhile, drain the canned tuna and break it up into thick flakes, 1/2 inch or a bit larger. After the tomatoes have cooked about 5 minutes, drop the tuna in the skillet, and stir it into the tomatoes slowly, so the flakes of fish stay together. Cook at the same bubbling boil for another 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are cooked and slightly reduced.
Lower the heat a bit, and stir in the remaining olive oil (about 3 tablespoons). Now spill the cooked farro on top of the sauce, and toss and stir, still over moderate heat, until the grains are very hot and thoroughly mixed with the tomatoes and tuna. Turn off the heat, toss in the chopped parsley, and serve.