Barley Soup - WHB # 323

 la ricetta in italiano qui

One of the most traditional recipes in Trentino-Alto Adige,  a Northern Italian mountain region,  is barley soup, so simple but so good and comfortable, what you need to warm up body and mind in cold nights. Maybe a dish more feminine than others (like all soups, in my "masculine" family :-), but I don't bother and always declare to the boys o mangiar de 'sta minestra o saltar dalla finestra that is to say take it or leave it :-).
There are many variations of this soup, someone adds beans, some cabbage, I think everyone goes along with his own taste and home kitchen memories.
Surely this is a family recipe, I got so many years ago (was not married yet) from dear friends, and often used to be our dinner after cold winter days spent skiing.

Barley, Hordeum vulgare, was already cultivated in the Middle East in the 7 th millennium BC and then spread to all regions of the world.

Besides being used as rice, it produces flour for bakery and confectionery; if roasted and ground it's used in the production of coffee or chocolate substitute, transformed into malt is used in the production of beer and spirits. Moreover, along with corn is one of the main cereals used for animals.

It's a suitable food supply for everyone and at every age, for its anti-inflammatory properties and refreshing digestive is considered an excellent laxative and gives relief to those suffering from colitis, flatulence, fermentation crisis (nursing my children with bottles from the early days of life, I used to add to the powdered milk a magical barley powder, very healthy for their bellies).

 

Serving 3/4:

1 large carrot
2 stalks of celery
1 small onion
2 medium potatoes
a piece of leek
70 g bacon
100 g barley
extra virgin olive oil
vegetable broth (or made ​​with homemade stock cubes)
 a knob of butter
2 glasses of milk 

Put the barley to soak in likewarm water.
Fry minced bacon with finely chopped onion, celery and carrot in a saucepan with a little oil and a knob of butter.
After 5 minutes add diced potatoes, give a mix, cover with vegetable broth and let simmer over low fire for about 40 minutes, covered with a lid.

Add drained barley and milk and let simmer at least half an hour over low heat, or until the consistency of the soup is at your pleasure, less or more watery.
Serve hot, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

This recipe is my personal entry to WHB # 323

hosted by Marta from Viaggiare è un po' come mangiare.

Thanks again to Haalo who manages greatfully all events,
Thanks again to Kalyn for her successfull idea!

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