Barley soup

Barley soup, also known as gerstensuppe, is a typical Tyrolean dish that is very simple to make and perfect for winter.

Barley soup is a dish popular in different regions of Italy, often customized with different ingredients based on the area. The most famous, however, is undoubtedly the gerstensuppe , the South Tyrolean barley soup.

The basis of this poor and typically peasant recipe are the classic sautéed vegetables, potatoes and barley, grown in this area since ancient times. However, what makes it so tasty and different from other similar recipes is the presence of the smoky note that can be given by speck or bacon. The process is really simple however you will have to have a little patience for cooking.

How to prepare barley soup recipe

1. First, cut all the sautéed vegetables, i.e. celery, carrot and onion, into cubes of about half a centimeter.
2. Then brown them in a large pan together with the oil and bay leaves (you can also use sage and rosemary).
3. Cut the speck or smoked bacon into cubes and add them to the vegetables, browning for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the well rinsed barley and after toasting it for a couple of minutes cover with water or meat broth .
5. Peel the potatoes , cut them into 1cm cubes and add them to the pot. Season with salt and cook for about 40 minutes or until the barley is ready. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes before distributing it onto the plates and finishing with the chives .

The barley used in this recipe is pearl barley. This term indicates that a cleaning process has been carried out to remove the external bran (present in the hulled or whole grain). A direct consequence of this is "reduced" cooking times. Always pay attention to the instructions on the label because today there are also pre-cooked varieties with reduced cooking times.

Here is a video that illustrates all the steps to make the dish. In some places it deviates from our recipe but as you know we aim to follow the traditional recipe whenever possible.

As mentioned in the introduction, there are several recipes for preparing barley soup. Among our favorites are the autumn version with pumpkin and cabbage , the rich one with beans but also the delicious variant typical of Armenian cuisine with yogurt .

Conservation

The barley soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days . Reheat it in a pan or in the microwave, adjusting the consistency with water or broth. Keep in mind that it will tend to dry out.

Origin and history

It is difficult to establish the exact date of birth of this dish. Born among the farmers , who exploited what they had available, it is a typical Tyrolean dish. Barley has always been appreciated not only for its satiating power but also for its ability to adapt to even the most difficult terrain.

Barley soup is the protagonist of a celebration, the törggelen (pressing of grapes) typical of autumn and which usually coincides with Thanksgiving. On this occasion it is customary to prepare gerstensuppe and enjoy them together with masa , a cross between polenta and farinata prepared with milk, corn flour and salt and served with melted butter.