Lemony Farro Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Mint

I had some farro to use up and this recipe sounded good. I think it was! Melissa Clark, NY Times, has recipes I usually like. This was a "What to cook this week" suggestion. I made half and even so it was a H|UG|E| amount for Dobies and  Dobies Jr.


Ingredients


Kosher salt
1 C farro
2 Bay Leaves
1 pound orzo
3/4 C diced Apricots (left these out)
3/4 C thinly sliced red onion
34 C thinly sliced celery,
3 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3/4 C sliced almonds
(|I toasted whole and chopped them and stirred them in at the end with the herbs)
2 C baby spinach
1 C crumbled fresh goat cheese (four ounces)
1/2 C torn mint leaves (I divided this with fresh thyme from the yard)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add farro and bay leaves and let simmer 15 minutes  Add orzo and simmer to al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes

While farro cooks, make dressing. Grate zest from 1 1/2 lemons; squeeze their juice on top in a bowl.  Add salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes, whisking to combine.