Farrotto with Artichokes

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/farrotto_with_artichokes.html

From EatingWell:  March/April 2009

Here farro stands in for rice in a risotto-like dish, full of tomatoes, artichokes and fresh basil.

6 servings, about 1 cup each | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups farro, rinsed (see Tip)
• 1 leaf fresh sage
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 10-ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2-2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Preparation

1. Place farro in a large saucepan and cover with about 2 inches of water. Add sage and rosemary. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the farro is tender but still firm to the bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the herbs and drain.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the farro, tomatoes, artichokes, basil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.
3. Add 1/2 cup broth (or water), bring a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring, until most of the broth is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining broth (or water), adding it in 1/2-cup increments and stirring until it’s absorbed, until the farro is creamy but still has a bit of bite, about 10 minutes total. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese and lemon zest. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Nutrition

Per serving : 264 Calories; 7 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 9 mg Cholesterol; 43 g Carbohydrates; 11 g Protein; 8 g Fiber; 530 mg Sodium; 168 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Farro is a high-fiber whole grain that is an ancestor of modern wheat. It is commonly used in Italian cooking and is becoming more popular in the U.S. Find it in natural-foods stores and amazon.com.