Farro is a great whole grain with a nutty flavor and deliciously chewy texture. It comes from Italy so is much more popular with Italian cooks. When I was first interested in cooking with new grains, Giada De Laurentis was one of the few sources for farro recipes. In one, she uses a coarse pesto, mostly parsley based, to coat the farro. I loved the idea of pesto on farro for many reasons, but I don't love quite so much parsley. Here, I use a basic basil pesto made without the usual cheese and add both goat cheese (another Italian method) and a medley of spring vegetables. This can be served hot or cold and is wonderful with many different vegetables. I went to the farmstand the morning of the DC food52 brunch hoping for ramps and peas and when I found none, switched it up to asparagus and pea shoots and garnished it all with some microgreens. You can find farro in Italian specialty shops, Whole Foods, Balducci's and regular grocery stores.

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