Name: Barley and Bean Soup
Total time: 10 h 45 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: Salt and pepper; 8 ounces (1¼ cups) dried cranberry beans, picked over and rinsed; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for serving; 4 ounces pancetta , cut into ¼-inch pieces; 1 onion , chopped fine; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup pearl barley; ¼ cup minced fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Why This Recipe Works

In Italy, orzo—what Americans think of as a rice-shaped pasta—is the word for barley, and it's one of the most important ingredients in Friuli, where the high altitude of the mountainous areas facilitates its cultivation. Barley is found in risotto-like dishes, but it's also frequently combined with hearty beans for a soup that makes a warming winter staple. This Friulian alternative to pasta e fagioli was once a peasant dish but has become a recognized culinary specialty of the region. We started with dried cranberry (aka borlotti) beans, a common Friulian ingredient, that we soaked overnight in salted water so they cooked up with soft skins. Next we rendered the fat from flavorful pancetta (cut into spoon-friendly bites) before adding onion, garlic, and bay leaves along with water and the soaked beans. We added the barley to the soup for the last hour of cooking and simmered it until both the beans and grains were tender and thickened to a porridge-like consistency. This soup is traditionally served very thick; adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed.

Before You Begin

Do not substitute hulled, hull-less, quick-cooking, or pre-steamed barley (read the ingredient list on the package to determine this) in this recipe.

Instructions

Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pancetta and cook until browned and fat is rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in beans, 12 cups water, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, leaving lid slightly ajar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 hour.

Stir in barley and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender, beans begin to break down, and soup has thickened, about 1 hour.

Discard bay leaves. Stir in parsley and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with hot water as needed. Drizzle individual portions with extra oil before serving.