Name: This easy roast vegetable salad with farro will be your new favourite
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 260g farro or barley, washed; 1 small eggplant, chopped into small cubes; 1 red capsicum, chopped into small chunks; 1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes; 300g mixed yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved; 20g basil, leaves torn; 2 tsp dried oregano; Extra virgin olive oil; Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

This easy salad is filled with colourful roasted vegetables and has a base of farro, a nutritious grain rich in fibre, protein and minerals. Nutty and satisfying, the recipe pairs tender eggplant, capsicum and zucchini with juicy cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil and oregano. The roasted vegetables bring sweetness and depth, while the tomatoes keep every bite bright and fresh. Serve it warm or at room temperature for an easy picnic or barbecue side. It is also delicious topped with crumbled goat’s cheese or boosted with chickpeas for extra substance. Plus, it’s the perfect make-ahead salad as it’s delicious cold the day after it is made.

heirloom tomato grilled zocchini mozzarella salad

Heirloom tomato salad with grilled zucchini mozzarella

Simple zucchini salad

Greek salad

Ingredients

260g farro or barley, washed

1 small eggplant, chopped into small cubes

1 red capsicum, chopped into small chunks

1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes

300g mixed yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved

20g basil, leaves torn

2 tsp dried oregano

Extra virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the farro or barley according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, capsicum and zucchini. Season with salt and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until soft.

Put the cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves and oregano into a large bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, give it a good stir and set aside.

Once the farro or barley is fully cooked, drain it well and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add the cooked vegetables and give everything a stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

TIP Try serving this with crumbled fresh goat’s cheese or adding 100g of cooked chickpeas by stirring them in towards the end while cooking the vegetables.

Roast vegetable salad with farro — *(Photography: Dave Brown)*

_{This is an edited extract from ‘Eat Like a Sardinian’ by Francesco Mattana, with photography by Dave Brown, published by Murdoch Books, $45.}

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Recipe Francesco Mattana Chef and Author

Francesco Mattana is an Italian chef and online sensation with a large, loyal community that attracts millions of people across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Growing up in Sardinia, he was surrounded by great home cooks and an appreciation for local and seasonal ingredients, and this inspired him to start his own culinary journey. After working in the kitchen in Sardinia, he travelled to Australia, where he opened his own highly regarded Italian restaurant in Brisbane called Ajó. In 2017, Francesco moved to the UK to pursue his passion for teaching, working for some of the top cookery schools in London and eventually becoming the head teacher chef at Jamie Oliver’s Cookery School. Francesco continues to offer cooking classes and to host events and demos in the UK and in Sardinia, teaching people about authentic Italian and Sardinian food. Eat Like a Sardinian is his first book.

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