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Libum

In the 2nd century BC Cato the Elder writes his De Agri Cultura, an agronomic manual in which he gives advice and suggestions on the management of a farm. It contains also various recipes, among which the Libum, a sort of cheese bread/focaccia! The original recipe goes like this:

“You will do so the libum. Well crush two pounds of cheese in a mortar, when you have made it completely smooth mix in a pound of flour or, if you want it lighter, half a pound. Add an egg and again knead everything carefully, form the loaf, place it on a bed of leaves and cook it slowly in a hot oven “(Cato the Elder)

For a more modern and contemporary taste we suggest the following recipe:

In a bowl, soften the ricotta with a fork then add the flour, egg and salt. Mix until obtaining a very soft mixture.

Cato recommends cooking the Libum in a single loaf but we suggest creating smaller focaccia shapes as they are better suited to be consumed as an appetizer or as a snack. With the help of a spoon form many balls, roll them in a little flour before flattening them and then place them on a baking sheet on several, previously cleaned and oiled, bay leaves.

Cook at 180 ° C (356°F) for about 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Bari-style Focaccia Bread

Dissolve the yeast in warm water, add the Farro flour, salt and sugar and knead until a soft and homogeneous dough is obtained.

Take a non-stick pan and pour in plenty of extra virgin olive oil (it must cover the bottom of the pan). Place the dough in the center of the pan and let it rest in a covered and poorly ventilated place, possibly in the turned off oven, for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes turn the dough (it must be greased) and spread with your fingertips starting from the center.

Season with the tomatoes cut in half and pushed well into the dough (the secret is to release the pulp of the tomato on the dough and then push it), the olives and the oregano.

Let it rest for another 80 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 200 ° C and bake the focaccia for 15-20 minutes. To obtain the classic crust on the bottom part, it is advisable to place the focaccia in the lower part of the oven for the first 5 minutes, directly in contact with the wall, and then move it to mid- height for the remaining minutes.

Remove from the oven and salt to taste!

Tips: for these quantities use a 39 cm diameter pan.

Baked San Giuseppe Zeppole with Organic Farro Flour

First make the choux pastry.  Add the water and the butter to a pan, bring to the boil and slowly add the flour.

Stir quickly with a wooden spoon and, once the mixture has thickened, cook to obtain a compact dough. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Take the now warm dough and gradually add the beaten eggs and a pinch of salt, stirring until they are well incorporated and the mixture will be smooth and homogeneous (in the initial phase it is normal for small lumps to form).

Put the choux pastry obtained in a sac-à-poche with a star shaped nozzle and preheat the oven to 205° in a ventilated mode. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and create the zeppole, making two turns, one on top of the other, to create a circle (the diameter can vary to your liking). Once ready, bake in a ventilated oven for about 20 minutes. Finish cooking for a further 5 minutes, keeping the oven door slightly open. Remove the zeppole from the oven, leaving them to cool, and in the meantime prepare the cream.

For the custard, take a saucepan and add the milk, cream and vanillin. Bring everything to a boil. In another bowl, combine the yolks with the sugar and corn starch, continuing to mix with the whisk until the mixture is light and frothy.

Whole Grain Organic Farro Ditalini Soup with Onion, Fennel, Kale, and Cannellini

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and fennel and cook over medium heat until soft; 3-5 minutes. Add the kale, cannellini beans and vegetable broth; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Using an immersion mixer, pulse 5-6 times so that some of the ingredients are well blended but there are still a lot of chunks.
Add the Whole Grain Organic Poggio del Farro Farro Ditalini Pasta and cook for 6-7 minutes.* Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped reserved fennel fronds.
Serve immediately.
*On the package it is recommended to cook the pasta for 9 minutes but in this recipe the time should be reduced as the pasta will continue to cook in the broth when served.

Recipe and video by Italian-based food blogger
Cindy Swain from italicanakitchen.com

Spinach Salad with Sprouted Farro, Caramelized Kabocha Squash, and Ginger Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Pour the Sprouted Farro and water in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Drain.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the kabocha squash and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until golden, about 5-6 minutes. Gently turn each slice, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 5-6 minutes until soft and golden.
Preheat a small skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and dark brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until syrup is caramelized and nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
Add all the ingredients for the ginger apple cider vinaigrette in a mason jar. Shake well.
Add the spinach to a large bowl. Top with farro, pumpkin, walnuts, cranberries, feta and apple.
Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss. Buon appetito!

Recipe and video by Italian-based food blogger
Cindy Swain from italicanakitchen.com