Baked Farro with Winter Squash & Bacon

Chefs and home cooks around the world are rediscovering Farro. This ancient grain is very high in protein and is hearty and delicious especially when paired with local veggies and well raised meat, as in this dish which makes a filling & nutritious meal:

Ingredients:

2tbsp lard
1 small onions, finely diced
1 clove garlic
1tsp chopped fresh thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2c farro
2c pork stock
4c cubed dense winter squash
1/2lb cooked bacon, crumbled (or try our new ground bacon bits!)
1/2c shaved hard cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat a Dutch oven or casserole pan, large enough to hold all of the ingredients, over medium-high heat. Add the lard and then the onion. Cook until the onion starts to brown then add the thyme. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the farro and stir until it is hot, season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and bring everything to a boil. Place the squash on top and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and place it in the preheated oven.
4. Bake until the faro and squash are tender, about 30 minutes. Check after 15 minutes. Add more stock or water if the farro looks dry.
5. When the farro is cooked, remove the pan from the oven and mix the contents gently with a spatula to fold the squash into the farro. Season to taste. Top the farro with the crumbled bacon and the shaved cheese and place back into the oven for 15 minutes to melt and slightly brown the cheese. Let the farro sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from Robert Sinsky's Baked Farro with Butternut Squash and Bacon

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