Italian · Authentic-ish Italian
Insalata di Farro
323 kcal a serving, against 504 for the traditional version. That is 181 kcal off, or 36%, with 20.3g of protein. Serves 4. 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A rustic grain bowl built on chewy farro, diced fresh tomatoes, black olives, torn mozzarella and basil, all bound together by a very generous pour of extra virgin olive oil.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of mozzarella out, 160g of tinned tuna in
Mozzarella brings a wonderful milky fat, but it simply doesn't carry enough structural protein to justify the massive amount of energy it brings. Tinned tuna gives you huge returns on protein for a tiny fraction of the cost.
What it costs you. You completely lose the rich, comforting dairy element that coats the mouth. Tuna brings a totally different, much more assertive seaside funk. This is the main event. Nobody is going to mistake it for a quiet background note. You must like fish to make this swap work.
60g of olive oil down to 15g
Pouring 60ml of oil over a salad adds over 500 calories of pure fat. Dropping it to a single tablespoon forces the remaining ingredients to work much harder to build flavour.
What it costs you. The mouthfeel is undeniably less luxurious. To compensate, you've got to salt the fresh tomatoes early to draw out their natural juices. You then use that seasoned tomato water to stretch the tiny amount of oil into a proper dressing.
250g of grain down to 150g, adding 240g of tinned chickpeas
Dropping the pure starch volume and replacing it with pulses shifts the balance of the bowl entirely. Chickpeas bring plenty of dietary fibre and physical bulk without behaving like empty filler.
What it costs you. It becomes a mixed bean and grain dish rather than an unadulterated farro salad. Chickpeas are softer and slightly more mealy than a firm, chewy grain, so the salad loses a bit of its aggressive bite.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 504 | 323 |
| Protein | 17.7g | 20.3g |
| Fat | 26.8g | 7.7g |
| Saturated fat | 7.9g | 1.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 50.5g | 44.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.5g | 6.3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Italian prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, fish, sulphites.
The method is in the book
A dense, highly savoury lunch that sets you up for the afternoon instead of putting you to sleep at your desk. The tuna and chickpeas do the heavy lifting, and the salted tomato juice tricks you into thinking there's plenty of oil. I prefer this punchier version.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Italian, along with 59 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.