• Prep -- do this first. 
• By prepping your food before you begin to cook you can save time in the long run. Plus, you won’t forget anything. 
• For each of the items below, after the prep stage, just set aside until the fun begins. 
• So you don’t have a million dishes to wash, take a large plate or even a paper plate and make neat piles of the ingredients after they have been prepped.
• It’s important to keep the ingredients separate unless noted. They are added at different times during the cooking process.
• Don’t combine the liquids into one container. They will be used at different times.
• Feel free to get your chef on and use separate ramekins if you would like.
• Measure out your oil and Marsala
• Finely chop the onions 
• Slice the mushrooms abt a ¼ inch slices
• Mince the garlic
• Chop the fresh herbs
• Rinse the peas in cold water. If using frozen peas, let sit in cold water while prepping other ingredients. Drain before using. Canned peas ARE NOT recommended (too mushy -- eww!)
• Cook the bacon -- oven cooked bacon is the best. If you are using pancetta, saute in the saute pan until the pancetta starts to release its fat. Remove the pancetta to your prep plate or a bowl. LEAVE the oil in the pan
• Warm up the stock in a saucepan. Keep warm while prepping
• Grate the lemon peel
• Chop lemon after grating into wedges
• Measure out the farro
• Measure out the ricotta and parmesan cheese and mix together.

Start Cooking:

Cook the farro:

• In a large saucepan, warm the broth.
• Add the farro and cook for about 30 minutes, until the farro is tender. It should be soft but not mushy. There should be a nice chew to the grain. Check the label on your brand to confirm time.
• While the farro is cooking, you can begin cooking the bacon or pancetta and the other ingredients. 
• At the end, we will be combining the farro with the veggies, spices, and cheeses. 

Cooking the remaining items:

• If you are using pancetta, cook the pancetta on medium in the saute pan for about 5-6 minutes until the pancetta begins to release some fat. Remove and set aside for later. Leave the fat in the pan.
• If you are using bacon. Begin cooking the bacon in the oven. Here’s the recipe. SO easy and takes about 20 minutes. 
• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large enameled saute pan or dutch oven to a shimmer. --->This is my favorite pan for this recipe. 
• Saute the onions in the pan until they are translucent. Don’t add salt until you add the peas AFTER you add the mushrooms. That’s next. 
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan. Saute with the onions until tender and both are starting to brown. 
• Add the minced garlic and thyme and saute with all above for about 2 minutes
• Add the peas and a pinch of salt to the pan and saute with the onions, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms until the peas are heated through.
• Add the Marsala and let the mixture cook until lightly bubbling about 7 minutes. This will cook off the alcohol.
• Checkpoint: 
• All of your ingredients have been measured and portioned and set aside.
• Your onions, mushrooms, peas, thyme, garlic and a pinch of salt have been sauteed in olive oil. Right?
• Your farro is cooking in a saucepan.
• Your bacon is in the oven cooking or you have cooked the pancetta.

Putting it all together:

• Farro is cooked.
• Bacon is cooked and chopped.
• Veggies, thyme, and Marsala are cooked and ready.

Combine the ingredients and serve:

• Combine the farro with the veggie/marsala mixture in the saute pan.
• Warm all the ingredients together. 
• Add the ricotta cheese and parmesan to the farro/veggie/marsala mixture and mix together.
• Add the cooked chopped bacon/pancetta and mix in.
• Sprinkle in the grated lemon rind and toss together.
• Taste everything together and decide if you need a sprinkle or two of salt. Add your pepper.