The Sardinian diet contains a lot of vegetables and is known for good helpings of barley and Pecorino, a sheep’s milk cheese. While not necessarily a Sardinian dish, we’ve been inspired, for this hearty bean and barley stew, by those Sardinian ingredients. Warming and comforting, this dish is full of barley and convenient, protein-packed Borlotti beans, while the carrots, kale, onions, fennel, and herby thyme satisfy your daily veggie intake.
Pecorino Romano
This sheep’s milk cheese is a staple of the Sardinian diet. Studies have shown that pecorino Romano contains considerable amounts of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid. The milk for this cheese comes from sheep that graze in the mountain pastures of Sardinia, Italy. From there, the cheese is made with an innesto, a type of lactobacilli culture, or starter, that is local to the area of production.
AdvertisementYou may find cheese in the grocery store simply labelled Pecorino, but if you want the authentic version, look for the PDO (protected designation of origin) label, the guarantee of true pecorino Romano.
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 2 large sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup finely diced carrot
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 1/4 cup sliced fennel stalks
- + pinch salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 cup pot barley rinsed and drained
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 13.5 oz can Romano or borlotti beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups finely sliced lacinato kale
- 3/4 oz Pecorino Romano cheese
- In large pot over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf until softened, about 5 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and fennel and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and barley and stir thoroughly to combine. Add 3 cups vegetable broth, or enough to cover the contents. Increase heat to bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for about 35 minutes, until barley is tender. Add beans and kale; simmer gently for another 10 minutes. Warm remaining vegetable broth and add it as needed, 1 cup at a time, until you have a thick, soupy texture.
- To serve, ladle stew into bowls and use a vegetable peeler to grate a few slices of pecorino over each.
