Minestra di Orzo e Fagioli
A comforting mountain barley and bean soup simmered with smoked pork, known in Friulian as meneste di uardi e fasioi.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 105 min
- Total
- 125 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-bottomed stockpot
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Immersion blender or potato masher
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 13 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 14 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the diced pancetta and fry gently until the fat renders and turns translucent.
- 3
Stir in the chopped onion, carrot, and celery until softened and fragrant.
- 4
Add the soaked borlotti beans, potato cubes, bay leaves, and the smoked pork bone.
- 5
Pour in the cold water and bring the pot to a gentle boil.
- 6
Reduce the heat, cover loosely, and simmer for forty-five minutes.
- 7
Rinse the pearl barley and stir it directly into the bubbling soup.
- 8
Simmer for another forty-five minutes until the barley is plump and the beans are tender.
- 9
Remove the pork bone, shred any tender meat from it, and return meat to the pot.
- 10
Mash a ladleful of beans against the pot side with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup.
- 11
Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- 12
Rest the soup off the heat for ten minutes before ladling into bowls.
Chef's tips
Soak the beans thoroughly overnight to ensure they cook evenly alongside the barley. Do not over-salt the soup early on, as the smoked pork bone naturally releases salt into the broth during simmering.
Ingredient substitutions
- smoked pork shank bone → smoked bacon lardons or smoked pork ribs
- dried borlotti beans → canned borlotti beans, added in the last twenty minutes of cooking
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of hot water to loosen the thickened broth.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding salt too early, which can prevent the dried beans from softening properly.
- •Skipping the resting period, which prevents the starch from thickening into the classic velvety texture.
- •Boiling at too high a heat, causing the barley to scorch at the bottom of the pot.
Serving suggestions
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