Summer Farro Salad with Artichokes and Cherry Tomatoes

Farro Salad with Artichokes and Tomatoes

 On Friday we returned from an almost two week vacation to Idaho and Montana, so, I wanted to make something simple for a family reunion held two days later. The following recipe was taken from the Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho). It makes a large salad which can be served as a side dish for a crowd, or could also be made ahead and pulled out of the refrigerator for a quick meal on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups farro
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt
12 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
2 cups artichoke hearts chopped

Bring 8 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil.  Add farro and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain any excess water and spread on a rimmed sheet to cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse spinach, basil, sunflower seeds, cheese, garlic and a dash of salt and pepper until smooth. Add oil and yogurt and pulse a few more times. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in farro. Gently stir in tomatoes and artichokes. Sprinkle with Parmesan, chill and serve.