Zuppa Di Farro E Fagioli (Tuscan Bean Soup with Farro)

I was lucky enough to have friends there, from Rome to Florence to the Italian Riviera, and it was in Florence in 1986 or so that I met Judy Witts Francini. It was through Judy (and the books of Marcella Hazan, and others) that I discovered that the essence of Italian cooking wasn’t pasta in fabulous cream sauce but rather simple ingredients thrown together in a thoughtful way, yielding results that are out of this world. Judy taught me to stop thinking in terms of one dish; it was the progression of the meal that mattered, and balance and simplicity were just as important as technique. I think this recipe sums up Judy’s way of cooking perfectly. I was lucky enough to have friends there, from Rome to Florence to the Italian Riviera, and it was in Florence in 1986 or so that I met Judy Witts Francini. It was through Judy (and the books of Marcella Hazan, and others) that I discovered that the essence of Italian cooking wasn’t pasta in fabulous cream sauce but rather simple ingredients thrown together in a thoughtful way, yielding results that are out of this world. Judy taught me to stop thinking in terms of one dish; it was the progression of the meal that mattered, and balance and simplicity were just as important as technique. I think this recipe sums up Judy’s way of cooking perfectly.

1½ cups dried white beans such as Cassoulet or Royal Corona ( Pinto or Cranberry beans would work, too), picked over and rinsed

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 fresh sage sprig

8 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

½ cup semi-pearled farro

2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)

Garnish

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons dried Tuscan herbs such as rosemary and sage

Directions at ranchogordo.com

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