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Farfel

Egg pasta pilaf with onions

Farfel (פרפל): toasted egg-pasta pellets cooked like a pilaf with onion and vegetable stock

Farfel, little barley-sized pellets of egg pasta, are what many Ashkenazi grandmothers in Israel cook instead of rice, especially on Friday nights alongside soup and roast vegetables. Toasted in oil until golden, then simmered in stock with soft onion, they turn out fluffy and separate with a gentle nutty taste, a bit like a tiny pasta pilaf. This version uses vegetable stock, so it is vegetarian and dairy free. Serve it as a side or stir through mushrooms for a light supper. A common mistake is adding too much stock, which makes the pellets swell into a sticky mass. Chef's tip: toast the farfel until it smells like toast and is evenly amber before any liquid goes in.
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide saucepan over a medium heat and soften 1 onion until translucent and starting to colour.

    6 min
  2. Step 2: Add 9 oz egg farfel (toasted egg barley pasta) and stir constantly until the pellets are evenly golden and smell toasted.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Stir in ½ tsp sweet paprika, then pour in 2 cups hot vegetable stock with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer on a low heat until the stock is absorbed and the farfel is tender with a little bite.

    12 min
  4. Step 4: Take off the heat, leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and scatter with 1 tbsp dill if using.

    5 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
330 kcal
Protein
10 g
Carbs
50 g
Fat
10 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does farfel take?
About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of onion?
2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of hot vegetable stock?
Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).

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