Warm Farro And Chickpea Salad

Recipe Instructions Put the chickpeas in a bowl and cover them with water; in another bowl, cover the farro with water and allow both to soak overnight. Doing this will eliminate a long cooking time. The next day drain the water from the chickpeas and transfer them to a pot; cover them with clean water and cook for 15 minutes or just until they are tender and the outer skins easily slip off. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside. Repeat the process for the farro, cooking them about 20 minutes or just until al dente. They should have a bit of a bite and not be mushy. Depending on the farro, it may cook in even less time. Mince the garlic, parsley, sage, and rosemary together. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan; stir in the garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the mushrooms and cook them until they soften and begin to give off their liquid. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the chickpeas, farro, and the reserved cooking water. Stir and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute longer. Keep the mixture warm while the bread is toasting. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them until golden brown in a 350 degrees pre-heated oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Place two slices of toasted bread side by side on each of 6 salad dishes. Evenly divide and spoon the farro mixture over the bread slices. Garnish with extra parsley and drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Serve immediately. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.