Zuppa di orzo (Italian Barley Soup)
Ingredients
For the soffritto:
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 stalks of celery finely diced
- 2 small or 1 medium carrot finely diced
- 75 g 2-1/2 oz Speck (or smoked pancetta or bacon, see Notes), cut into small dice
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
For the soup:
- 200 g 8 oz barley
- 1.5 liters 5 or 6 cups water or broth, plus more water as needed
Instructions
- Begin by making the soffritto, or flavor base: Sauté the onion, carrot, celery in olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper and taking care not to let them brown. When the vegetables have softened, add the Speck and let it sauté for a minute or two.
- Then add the barley to the soffritto and let it sauté for a minute or two as well.
- Add water or broth to cover generously. Simmer covered for 45 minutes or until the barley is tender, stirring from time to time and adding water or broth as needed to reach the consistency you want. (NB: Barley absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks, so do check it from time to time to avoid scorching.) The soup can be served quite thick, like a porridge, or fairly brothy as you prefer.
- Serve right away. If you like you can sprinkle it with parsley for color. Have some grated Parmesan cheese on the side for those who like it.
Notes
If using a pressure cooker, bring up to pressure, lower the heat to a minimum and cook for 15 minutes, then release the pressure. When you open the cooker, check for liquid: if the barley has entirely absorbed it, add more water or broth and let things simmer for a few minutes more. If there is too much liquid (less likely, given barley's aborptive qualities) then just let is simmer until you have reached the proper consistency.