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Orzo e fagioli
Barley and borlotti bean soup
Orzo e fagioli (orzo e fasoi): Friulian winter soup of pearl barley, borlotti beans and potato
In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, around Udine and up into the Carnic Alps, orzo e fagioli is the thick bowl that warms people through the cold months, made in big pots and eaten for supper over several days. Borlotti beans and pearl barley simmer slowly with potato, carrot and celery until the soup turns creamy and dense enough for a spoon to stand in it. Many families add pork rind or a ham bone; this version is vegetarian and vegan, building depth instead with a slow soffritto, rosemary and a final swirl of good olive oil. A bowl gives about 20 g of protein from the beans and barley. Soak the beans for 12 hours first; that time is not counted below. The most common mistake is adding the barley at the start: by the time the beans are soft it has collapsed into glue. Chef's tip: mash a ladleful of the cooked beans and potato against the side of the pot and stir it back in; it thickens the soup without any flour.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz dried borlotti beanssoaked in cold water for 12 hours
- 5 ½ oz pearl barleyrinsed
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 carrotfinely chopped
- 2 celery stickfinely chopped
- 2 garlic clovessliced
- 2 floury potatoesabout 350 g, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 9 ¼ cups water
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Warm 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy pot over a medium-low heat. Add 1 onion, 1 carrot and 2 celery stick and cook gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until soft, sweet and lightly golden; this soffritto replaces the flavour of the pork.
15 minStep 2: Add 2 garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, without letting it brown.
Step 3: Drain 10 ½ oz dried borlotti beans and add them to the pot with 2 floury potatoes, 2 bay leaves, 1 rosemary sprig and 9 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then lower to a steady simmer. Partly cover and cook for 60 minutes, until the beans are almost tender.
65 minStep 4: Stir in 5 ½ oz pearl barley and simmer for 35–40 minutes more, stirring every 10 minutes so nothing catches. The barley is done when it is plump and soft with a slight chew, and the beans squash easily on the tongue.
40 minStep 5: Fish out the bay leaves and rosemary stalk. Scoop out a ladleful of beans and potato, mash it with a fork and stir it back in. Season with 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper; salting at the end keeps the bean skins tender.
Step 6: If the soup is very thick, loosen it with a little hot water: it should be dense but still pourable. Rest it for 5 minutes, then serve with the rest of 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil drizzled over and 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley if you like.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 19 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does orzo e fagioli take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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