Italian roast vegetable and farro salad

Categories: July

Ingredients

• 400g farro or bulgar wheat
• 5 green courgettes, halved lengthways and deseeded
• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and thickly sliced, reserve the leafy tops to garnish
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 2 aubergines, cut into chunks
• 4 garlic cloves
• extra-virgin olive oil
• splash of herb or white wine vinegar
• good bunch of fresh herbs, such as flatleaf parsley, basil, mint and oregano
• squeeze of lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/fan 180˚C/gas 6. Soak the farro or bulgar wheat in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain.

2. Meanwhile, slice the courgettes crossways into chunky crescents and put into a large roasting tray. Add the remaining vegetables and garlic cloves and toss together with a good splash of olive oil. Season well.

3. Spread the vegetables out in one layer if you can, as they’ll roast better this way – use 2 trays if necessary. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, removing the trays from the oven and carefully shaking them now and then, until the vegetables are cooked through and crisp around the edges. Sprinkle the vinegar over the vegetables as soon as they come out of the oven and set aside to cool. When cool, tip onto a large chopping board, add the fresh herbs and chop finely.

4. Place the farro or bulgar wheat in a large saucepan, cover with fresh cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender, then drain well. Dress the farro or bulgar wheat with a good splash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, season with sea salt and pepper and toss with the chopped vegetables. Scatter the reserved fennel tops over the mix and serve.

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