Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Ricotta Salata

Brady's sister made a delicious farro and butternut squash dish at Christmas from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  After the holidays, I went onto the Smitten Kitchen blog and came across what I think is the same recipe. If it's not the same, it is very similar. I have been on a quinoa kick for a while now but I am definitely going to start making more farro recipes. I loved the nutty flavor that it has and it's super quick to make. Not only was the farro salad perfect for a healthy yet hearty vegetarian dinner but it made for great leftovers to bring in my lunch all week.

Picture courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. I forgot to take a picture.

Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Ricotta Salata
*** adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4-6
Prep/Cook Time:  1 hour

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into small cubes
4 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 c. quick cooking farro
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
1/2 c. ricotta salata, crumbled (you could also use feta)
1 T. sherry vinegar
1 T. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 small red onion, finally chopped

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread the squash onto the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook farro according to the package directions. Drain and cool slightly.

While squash is roasting and the farro is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the sherry, water, salt, and sugar. Stir in the onion and cover and refrigerate until needed.

In a large bowl, mix together the cooked farro, roasted squash, walnuts, and ricotta salata. Add in the red onion mixture, including the liquid. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve warm or can be served cold later on in the week.