Step 1

Place the farro in a large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the farro is tender but still firm to the bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.

Step 2

Heat the oil in the same saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Stir in the farro, along with a big pinch of salt and a few generous grinds of pepper.

Step 3

Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir until it has all evaporated, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Add a ladleful of the hot broth and simmer, stirring constantly, until the farro has absorbed almost all of the broth. Continue adding ladlefuls of the broth and stirring until it's absorbed, until the farro is creamy, 8 to 10 minutes total. You should have about 1/2 cup or more of hot broth remaining at this point.

Step 5

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Continue to stir until the shrimp is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more broth as needed to keep the farrotto creamy and not dried out (you might not use all of the remaining stock). Remove from the heat and stir in the basil, butter, and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.