Fasoi e Uardi
Fasoi e Uardi is a classic Friulian bean and pearl barley soup, known in Italian as minestra di fagioli e orzo, prized for its thick, velvety texture.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-bottomed pot
- •Immersion blender or potato masher
- •Ladle
- •Chef's knife
- •Wooden spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- fat
- 9 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 14 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 410 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Drain the soaked borlotti beans and rinse them in fresh cold water.
- 2
Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- 3
Add the pancetta, chopped onion, carrot and celery to the pot.
- 4
Fry gently for eight minutes until the vegetables soften without browning.
- 5
Stir in the drained beans, whole garlic clove, bay leaf and water.
- 6
Bring to a gentle boil, cover partially, and simmer for forty minutes.
- 7
Discard the garlic clove and bay leaf.
- 8
Scoop out half of the cooked beans and blend or mash until smooth.
- 9
Return the bean purée to the pot along with the rinsed pearl barley.
- 10
Simmer gently for twenty-five minutes until the barley is tender and thick.
- 11
Season generously with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 12
Ladle into warm bowls and drizzle each with red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Chef's tips
Soak your dried beans for at least eight hours to guarantee an even, tender texture. Puréeing half the beans creates the authentic thick broth without needing any added flour. Adjust the liquid towards the end of cooking, as barley absorbs water rapidly as it sits.
Ingredient substitutions
- dried borlotti beans → two 400 g tins of cooked borlotti beans, reducing total simmering time
- pancetta → pestât lard paste, or omit entirely for a vegetarian version
- pearl barley → spelt (farro perlato), adjusting cooking time slightly
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of hot water to loosen the thick barley.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Salting the beans too early in cooking, which hardens their skins.
- •Boiling the soup vigorously instead of simmering gently, causing the barley to catch.
- •Skipping the final splash of vinegar, which provides essential balance to the rich beans.
Serving suggestions
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