- 2 pounds yellow onions (4 large or 5 medium), sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry, vermouth, or white wine (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups dried farro
- 3/4 cup dried lentils, any variety, but green (le puy) or brown (italian) are my favorites here
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 6 cups vegetable broth + splashes more, if needed
- 2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely grated gruyere cheese
Heat your oven: To 375°F.
Assemble casserole: Add garlic to the onions and cook, stirring, one minute. Add sherry, if using, and cook until it disappears. Add the farro and cook for 2 minutes. Add lentils and 6 cups broth and thyme and bring the mixture to a simmer. Season well with salt and pepper as needed. If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer it at this point to a casserole dish.
Bake the casserole: Cover the pan and bake, stirring about halfway through, until the lentils and farro are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. If all of the liquid has absorbed, either at the midway through point or at the end, add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup splash of broth. We’re looking for a risotto-like looseness or light “slosh” in the pan. Fish out thyme stems.
To finish: Sprinkle the dish with gruyere and broil until browned on top.
Do ahead: The dish keeps fantastically in the fridge for 4 to 5 days; rewarm in a 350-degree oven. You can also prepare the lentil and farro base a few days early, rewarm it (it will likely need more broth at this point), and broil the cheese on top right before serving.
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