Farro Soup with Celery and Parmesan

This soup is remarkably flavorful, though it’s made with just a handful of basic ingredients. It features farro, an ancient wheat grain that boasts a pleasantly chewy texture and nutty taste. Be sure to use pearled farro; the grains have had the bran removed, which speeds up the cooking. Quick-cooking barley is a great alternative to farro. To boost the umami, we first brown tomato paste, then finish the soup with a shower of grated Parmesan. If you have a Parmesan rind on hand, add it to the simmering soup to deepen the flavor.