3/4 teaspoon dried mint, preferably spearmint, optional
For the salad:
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (less than 1/4 inch)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup loosely packed torn fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
To prepare the farro, add the water, farro, bay leaf, and dried chile to a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the grain is tender with a slight chew, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and chile, drain if needed, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the minced chile, Aleppo pepper, and dried mint and toss to combine.
Meanwhile, to make the salad, place the eggplant and the onion on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, and combine well, using your hands. If you don’t mind the extra dish, it’s a bit easier to toss everything in a large bowl.
Roast the mixture until the eggplant pieces have softened and are browned in spots, and the onion slices have caramelized, turning them once with a spatula in between, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately sprinkle the vegetables with 1/4 cup of the fresh mint and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. Toss well with a spatula — this will soften the mint leaves and take the sting out of the vinegar.
Recipe Notes
- Make it ahead: The vegetables can be roasted one day ahead; the farro can be cooked a few days earlier. Refrigerate in separate containers; bring to room temperature before serving, about one hour. You can prepare the salad — without adding the remaining 1/4 cup mint and the pine nuts — up to four hours ahead. Refrigerate, covered; remove about one hour ahead to bring to room temperature before serving. Drizzle on a bit more olive oil and vinegar to refresh if needed,