Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (200 g) dried beans
- 10 ounces (250 g) pearled barley
- 3 ounces (75 g) smoked lard (Friuli Venezia Giulia is known for smoking meats;
- if you cannot find smoked lard use fatty pancetta instead)
- Garlic
- Parsley
- Salt & pepper
- 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
Preparation:
Soak the beans for two hours. In the meantime, mince the lard, a bunch of parsley, and a little garlic. Fill a pot with 2 quarts of cold water and put the beans in it, together with the barley and the minced lard mixture. Bring the pot to a slow boil without stirring it and let it simmer gently. After an hour, correct seasoning, add the diced potatoes, and continue cooking until the grains are tender and the potatoes done, about another hour, during which you should stir frequently. When the soup is done let it rest for 15 minutes before serving it.One can add many things to this soup, including sausages, fresh or smoked pork, and ham bones.
Yield: 6-8 servings barley and bean soup.
