Gerstensuppe
Gerstensuppe, known as zuppa d'orzo in Italian, is a hearty South Tyrolean pearl barley soup simmered with smoked Speck, root vegetables, and stock until thick and rich.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 460 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Wooden spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 8 g
- protein
- 22 g
- calories
- 460 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 3
Stir in the diced Speck and rind, cooking for 3 minutes until the fat renders.
- 4
Add the diced carrot, celeriac, and potato to the pot.
- 5
Sauté the vegetables for 4 minutes, stirring to coat them in the savoury fat.
- 6
Add the rinsed pearl barley and bay leaf, stirring well for 1 minute.
- 7
Pour in the stock and bring the soup to a gentle boil.
- 8
Lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer gently for 50 minutes.
- 9
Stir occasionally until the barley softens and the soup becomes spoon-coating thick.
- 10
Remove the bay leaf and Speck rind, then season with salt and pepper.
- 11
Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls and scatter with fresh chives.
Chef's tips
South Tyrolean Gerstensuppe should be dense and comforting rather than brothy, as the barley and potato starches naturally thicken the pot. Speck can be quite salty, so avoid adding extra salt until the end of simmering.
Ingredient substitutions
- South Tyrolean Speck → smoked pancetta or thick-cut smoked bacon, though you lose the distinct Alpine juniper cure
- celeriac → two finely diced ribs of standard green celery
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the soup will thicken as it cools.
Reheating
Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of stock or water to adjust the thickness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Salting too early before the smoked Speck has released its natural cure into the broth.
- •Adding too much liquid, resulting in a thin broth rather than a thick, spoon-standing soup.
- •Cooking on high heat, which causes the barley starches to stick and scorch on the bottom.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Gerstensuppe?
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