Farro and Pine Nut Chard Rolls

With swiss chard growing out of control in our garden, these healthy, tasty, chard wraps are a great week night dinner recipe. Original recipe from the First Mess cookbook. You could stuff them with any grain and make it a day in advance so all you have to do it heat it up when you want to eat it.

FARRO AND PINE NUT CHARD ROLLS

1 cup (250 mL) semi-pearled farro
¼ cup (50 mL) pine nuts, toasted and chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
1 tsp (5 mL) nutritional yeast
1 tbsp (15 mL) virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 chard leaves
2 cups (500 mL) prepared marinara sauce

What To Do

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Set out an ovenproof 11- × 7-inch (2 L) ceramic or metal baking dish.

Place the farro in a medium saucepan. Cover with water by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the farro is just tender, about 28 minutes. Drain any excess water from the farro and return it to the saucepan, off the heat.

Using the saucepan as a mixing bowl, stir in the pine nuts, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Take one chard leaf and remove the stem. You should have two long halves of the leaf now. Repeat with remaining chard leaves. Place all trimmed chard in a large bowl. Cover the chard with boiling water and let it sit to wilt for 5 minutes. Drain the water and pat the chard dry.

Spread ½ cup (125 mL) of marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.

Take one trimmed chard segment and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 mL) of the farro mixture onto the bottom of the leaf. Tuck the leaf over the filling and tightly roll up. Place the chard roll into the baking dish, seam side down, on top of the sauce. Repeat this process with the remaining farro filling and chard.

Once you’ve filled the baking dish, spread the remaining marinara on top of the chard rolls. Carefully pour ½ cup (125 mL) of water over the chard rolls as well. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven.

Bake the chard rolls for 30 minutes or until the chard is wilted and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.

Serve the chard rolls hot.