Champagne and Asparagus Farrotto with Crispy Prosciutto
This recipe is inspired by Giada’s Champagne Risotto. I decided to change it up a bit and use whole grain farro – now you have Farrotto! I love switching out whole grains instead of arborio rice in my risotto recipes. If you haven’t tried it before, brown rice works just as well! You use the same cooking technique as if you are making risotto and end up with a delicious, nutritious dish.
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 slices prosciutto
- 4–5 cups of reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup champagne
- 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1” pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots
- 1 ½ cups farro ( pearled or semi-pearled)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F
- Place slices of prosciutto on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake until crispy, about 8 minutes. ( the prosciutto will continue to crisp up as they cool) Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a simmer. Add the asparagus pieces and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Remove from broth and keep chicken broth at a simmer.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened about 4 minutes. Add the farro and stir to coat with the olive oil. Continue to toast the farro for about 2-3 more minutes. Add the champagne and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Begin to add the stock ½ cup at a time stirring after each addition until most of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat until farro softens but is still chewy, 25-30 minutes. ( you may not need all 5 cups but I generally use 4 cups at least )
- Add asparagus, parmesan and parsley. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings adding salt and pepper.
- Crumble the prosciutto and garnish the farrotto. Enjoy!
Keywords: Farro, Sides, Holiday, Whole Grain, Mediterranean, Mediterranean diet, Champagne