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Prep time
10 minutes
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Cook time
25 minutes
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Serves
4 to 6
Author Notes
This sheet-pan dinner is essentially an antipasto platter turned into a hearty, meal-worthy salad, with a few smart tricks up its sleeve. To start, combine farro (either freshly cooked or leftover) with chopped artichoke hearts, castelvetrano olives, and thinly sliced salami, then dress it in a tangy, red wine-anchovy vinaigrette. If you served it at this point, it would make a very fine salad. But don’t stop there! Spread the freshly-tossed salad out on a half sheet pan and slide it under the broiler. The whole thing gets warm, toasty, and even more delicious— the farro gets a little crackly and chewy, the salami browned and crispy, the vinaigrette deeper in flavor. Before serving, toss in halved cherry tomatoes (marinated in a small amount of the vinaigrette to enhance their flavor and juiciness), provolone, and a few handfuls of peppery arugula for added brightness. The finished salad is a big jumble of flavors, colors, and textures, with each bite as interesting as the next.
A few tips and notes: This salad practically begs for improvisation, so feel free to try different briny mix-ins, like pepperoncini, different types of olives, or pickled vegetables. Also try different grains, such as barley, freekeh, or quinoa (or a mixture). And the salad can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the anchovies from the vinaigrette, and swapping the salami for another favorite ingredient (marinated mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes would be nice for the umami boost). —EmilyC
Ingredients
- For the salad:
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1 1/4 cups
uncooked semi-pearled farro
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1 pinch
kosher salt, plus more to taste
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1 pinch
red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
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2/3 cup
cherry tomatoes, halved
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1 pinch
granulated sugar
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1/2 cup
canned artichoke hearts (unmarinated or marinated), drained and roughly chopped
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1/2 cup
pitted castelvetrano olives, torn or roughly chopped
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1 1/2 ounces
salami, very thinly sliced, then roughly chopped (fennel salami or calabrese works well)
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1 cup
(packed) baby arugula
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2 ounces
provolone, thinly sliced or cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
- For the red wine-anchovy vinaigrette:
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4
anchovy fillets, minced and smashed into a paste (or substitute 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste)
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2 tablespoons
red wine vinegar
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1 tablespoon
lemon juice
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1 teaspoon
lightly crushed fennel seeds (an equal amount of dried oregano can be substituted)
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1 pinch
sea salt, plus more to taste
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4 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
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Cook farro in a large pot of boiled salted water, skimming the surface a few times, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain. (Note: Use this time to make the vinaigrette and prep the rest of your ingredients.)
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To make the vinaigrette: Combine anchovies, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, crushed fennel seeds, and a pinch of sea salt in a small bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid, then add the olive oil, whisking (or shaking) to emulsify. Taste and adjust the acid and seasoning.
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Season cherry tomatoes with salt and a pinch of sugar, then add 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette. Toss and let marinate (they’ll be added to the salad in Step 6).
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Return the warm farro back to the empty pot, and toss with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, then stir in artichoke hearts, castelvetrano olives, and salami. (Make sure to separate pieces of salami if they’re stuck together.) Add salt to taste, and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes if your salami isn’t spicy. Spread the farro salad in an even, single layer on a half sheet pan (ungreased and unlined).
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Heat the broiler with an oven rack about 4 to 5 inches from the heating element. Broil the salad for 2 minutes. Stir, spread out, and broil for 2 more minutes. Repeat until farro is lightly toasted and salami is starting to brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from the oven.
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Immediately toss in tomatoes and their vinaigrette to warm them. Let cool for a minute or two, then toss in arugula and provolone, and a little more vinaigrette if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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