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1
Soak the whole farro in cold water for 8 hours, then drain. This long soak is specific to whole Garfagnana farro — it softens the tough outer bran so the grain cooks evenly without the centre remaining chalky while the outside turns to mush. Pearl farro must not be substituted, as the bran carries the nutty, mineral character that defines the IGP grain.
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2
Place the diced pancetta in a heavy pot over medium heat with a film of olive oil and render until the fat is translucent and the pieces begin to colour at their edges — this slow rendering draws out the fat gently so it perfumes the base without the meat toughening and turning bitter. The fat should run freely and smell of cured pork, not scorch.
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3
Add the soffritto — onion, celery, carrot, garlic — and the rosemary sprig, and cook gently in the pancetta fat until the vegetables are soft and without colour, approximately 8–10 minutes. Keeping the heat low enough to avoid any browning matters here, because colour on the onion would introduce a sharper, roasted note that fights the delicate grain. The smell should shift from raw allium to something sweet and unified.
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4
Add the drained soaked farro and the borlotti beans and stir to coat both in the soffritto so that each grain and bean picks up the fat and aromatics before any liquid arrives. Pour over 1.5 litres of cold water — not stock, because the farro and beans are themselves the flavour base and stock will dominate them — then drop in the Parmigiano rind and bring to a bare simmer.
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5
This is where the soup lives or dies: reduce to the lowest possible heat and cook for 45–50 minutes, stirring occasionally so the farro starch does not seize and scorch on the base of the pot, because a vigorous boil will turn what should be a silky, clinging broth into something gluey and bitter at the bottom. After 30 minutes, remove and discard the Parmigiano rind and the rosemary sprig. The soup is done when the farro grains are tender but retain a distinct nuttiness at the centre — never soft through — and the soup is thick enough to coat a spoon yet loose enough to pour slowly from a ladle.
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6
Remove from heat and rest, covered, for 15 minutes so the grain continues to absorb the surrounding liquid gently and reaches its correct, slightly swelled texture without the agitation of direct heat pushing it past that point. After resting, adjust consistency with a splash of water if the soup has tightened to solid.
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7
Ladle into warmed bowls and finish each portion with a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil from Garfagnana or Liguria. The oil should pool briefly on the surface before being drawn in — its grassy sharpness cuts the starch and announces the dish.