Pearled Barley
A Regional Umbrian Product
Casale1485 pearled barley is one of the traditional cereals cultivated in Colfiorito, a small town in Umbria, a region in the centre of Italy, close to Tuscany.
Pearled barley is a cereal that has been processed to remove its hull and bran. Barley must have its fibrous outer hull removed before it can be eaten.
Pearled barley is taken a step further, and is also polished to remove the nutritious bran layer.
Pearled barley is the most common form of barley for human consumption, probably because it cooks faster and is less chewy than other, less-processed forms of barley. It is cooked mainly in soups and stews, also as an ingredient for stuffing cooked potages or sweet dishes.
It is the primary ingredient of the Italian dish Orzotto (Orzotto is a delicious main course in Italy and can be prepared and seasoned as risotto is).
The pearled grains are also softer and take less time to cook, about 30 minutes.
Pearled barley does not need to soak.
