Farro Salad With Corn and Crispy Chickpeas

This nubby, gently spiced grain salad is filled with tender corn kernels, crunchy roasted chickpeas and plenty of thinly sliced fennel, scallions and herbs. Drying the chickpeas before roasting gives them the deepest crunch, so don’t skip that step. All together, the salad walks the line between hearty and light, a substantial side to grilled meats or fish, or a summery main course all on its own.

Ingredients

• 1

  (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or use 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas

• 1 ½

  tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ½

  teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

• ½

  teaspoon ground coriander

• ½

  teaspoon ground cumin

• Pinch of ground allspice

• Pinch of ground cayenne

Preparation

1. Start the chickpeas: Spread drained chickpeas on a rimmed sheet pan lined with a clean dish towel or a double layer of paper towels. Let air-dry for at least 30 minutes while you cook the farro.
2. Prepare the farro: Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add farro and bay leaf. Cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well, discarding bay leaf. Put farro in a bowl and, while still warm, stir in 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the coriander. Let farro cool to room temperature.
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees. While the farro cools, roast the crispy chickpeas and the corn in the same oven.
4. For the chickpeas, remove towels from the baking sheet and toss chickpeas with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and spices until well coated. Roast, tossing halfway through, until golden and crispy, about 25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.
5. In a mixing bowl, lightly drizzle kernels with remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and toss to coat. Spread corn in a single even layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast, tossing halfway through roasting, until golden brown and fragrant, about 20 minutes.
6. Add corn to farro mixture, along with the scallions, fennel and herbs, tossing to combine. Taste, and add more salt and/or vinegar if needed. Just before serving, fold in crispy chickpeas so they remain crunchy. Top with another drizzle of olive oil and flaky sea salt.