Baked Farro Pudding

You may well be familiar with farro, a grain that dates back to Roman times, but is enjoying immense popularity right now. Traditionally, it has been used in place of pasta in vegetable soups typical of Italy's Garfagnana region, a rugged corner of northern Tuscany. But nowadays it is featured in all sorts of recipes, from grain salads to risotto-style dishes.

This sweet, slow dessert, from my book Big Night In, is a departure. It is similar to rice pudding, only better, in my opinion. The farro is baked in cinnamon- and lemon-infused milk (or a mix of milk and cream) for several hours in a low-temperature oven, with nothing more than a little stir now and again to help it along. It takes awhile, but it is easy to make and well worth the wait, for what emerges is a lovely thickened cream the color of caffe' latte, in which the fat grains of farro are suspended like rough-textured pearls.

You can certainly eat the pudding warm, as you might be inclined to do in winter. But, again, you will be rewarded if you wait a few more hours and allow it to chill completely in the refrigerator. Served cold, this pudding is a luscious treat any time of year, a mood lifter with its flowery aroma of cinnamon and citrus, cool and soothing by the spoonful.

BAKED FARRO PUDDING
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup farro
4 cups whole or reduced-fat milk, or 3 cups skim milk and 1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
2 (3-inch) strips lemon peel
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Vegetable oil for coating the baking dish
Whipped cream for serving (optional)

Instructions
1. Place the farro in a medium-sized saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain the farro in a colander and transfer it to the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse the farro just until the grains are coarsely ground, 30 to 45 seconds.

2. Heat the oven to 275° F. In a large bowl, combine the farro, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and lemon peel. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixture and add the pod as well. Mix well. Coat a 2-quart oven-proof baking dish with a little oil. Pour the mixture into the dish and place in the oven. Bake the pudding for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until thickened and creamy. Stir it briefly every hour or so to prevent a skin from forming.

3. Remove the pudding from the oven. Discard the vanilla pod and the lemon peel if you can locate them. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly over the top of the pudding and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

4. To serve, spoon the pudding into individual custard cups and garnish with a dollop of whip cream, if you like, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.