Holly Pisani at Peas & Love | Pesto and Cherry Tomato Farro

After years of working in fashion and marketing, I wanted to pursue a different passion and do something that could actively change people’s lives. There are so many blogs that promote healthy living but it’s not always attainable with a busy schedule so I wanted to do something to fix that. That’s how Peas & Love was born. It eventually expanded to children’s school lunches with Little Peas & Love.

Ingredients

(Serves 6-8)

• 500g Farro
• 500g Cherry Tomatoes
• Olive oil
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 200 g Grana Padano shavings
• 200 g Kalamata olives
• 150 g Toasted shelled pistachios
• 4 Spring onions

For the Pesto

• 150g of Basil leaves
• 100g toasted Pine nuts or pistachios
• 100 ml Olive oil
• 100g Parmesan
• 2 Garlic cloves
• ½ Tsp salt

Method

1.     Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2.     Place the cherry tomatoes in a roasting dish and drizzle them in olive oil, salt,  pepper and chopped garlic cloves, and place them in the oven for 30 mins to 45 mins (until they are softened but not disintegrating).

3.     Put the Farro on to boil in a large pot of water (follow packet cooking instructions - usually approximately 35 mins).

    Make the pesto by placing all the ingredients in a blender until they become a smooth paste. You can amend the pesto to taste - whether you prefer it nuttier or cheesier or with more basil- it’s up to you.

4.  In a separate large bowl place all the remaining ingredients - chopped olives, spring onions and pistachios, add the cooked farro once it has cooled and the roast cherry tomatoes (with all their juices), add pesto to taste and top it off with Grana Padano shavings.