Farro, White Bean and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry cannellini beans (salt soaked overnight (see recipe notes))
• 1 cup dry farro (emmer or spelt berries)
• 1 smoked ham hock ((or 3 bacon slices diced and fried until crisp))
• 1 onion (diced)
• 6 cloves garlic (smashed and peeled)
• 3 carrots (coarsely chopped)
• 3 ribs celery (coarsely chopped)
• 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 head cabbage (coarsely chopped)
• grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or other good parmesan cheese)
• extra virgin olive oil
• chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Add soaked beans through cabbage, in order, to the bowl of a large slow cooker. Carefully stir, just to make sure the broth makes it to the bottom.

2. 2

   Cover and cook on high 6 hours, or until beans are tender. (Start checking bean tenderness after 5 hours.)

3. 3

   Lift ham hock from the soup and use a fork to remove and shred the meat - add the meat back to the soup and stir. Discard bone.

4. 4

   Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. 5

   Serve soup topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, a generous swirl of olive oil, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.