Tuscan Bean And Barley Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 fennel bulb, diced
• 2 cups dried beans, soaked overnight and drained (cranberry, cannellini, kidney, or great northern beans)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 5 sprigs fresh sage
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil
• parmesan cheese, curls

Recipe

• 1 in a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
• 2 add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
• 3 remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside.
• 4 add onion, carrot, celery, and fennel to the pot; saute until softened, about 6 minutes.
• 5 add beans, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, and about 6 cups water, or as much as is needed to cover the beans by about 2 inches; bring to a boil.
• 6 decrease heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 7 discard rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs.
• 8 meanwhile, cook barley according to package directions and set aside.
• 9 using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, puree soup until smooth.
• 10 return to the pot, if necessary.
• 11 add barley and pancetta; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• 12 season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 13 ladle into heated bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parmesan curls.