About the Recipe
Barley is tougher than rice, chewier, with real grain flavour underneath. That's why it works here — the stock doesn't disappear into it. Instead you get the release of starch for creaminess, but barley fighting back the whole way through. The tomato and rosemary cut the weight, the Parmigiano finishes it. If you do not have a pressure cooker, cook it in a pot for about 45-50 minutes.
Ingredients
350g pearled barley
1 carrot
1 small onion
1 stick celery
150ml white wine
900ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 tbsp tomato paste, or 50g tomato passata
1 sprig rosemary
50g butter
50g parmigiano reggiano
salt, pepper and EVOO
Preparation
1. Dice the carrot, celery and onion into small cubes, or pulse them in a food processor.
2. Warm a little EVOO in your Fissler pressure cooker and cook the vegetables gently for 5 to 6 minutes. No colour, but don't let them collapse to a mash.
3. Add the washed barley and cook another minute or two.
4. Pour in the wine and let it evaporate.
5. Add the stock, the tomato, the butter and the chopped rosemary. Season well with salt and pepper.
6. Lock the lid, bring to full pressure and cook at maximum pressure for about 35 minutes.
7. Release the pressure gently, then open the lid.
8. Beat in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, check the seasoning, and finish with a good drizzle of EVOO.