Serves: 6
Total Calories: 295

8 cups homemade Meat Broth or a mix of half store-bought broth and half water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces sliced , finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as white, cremini, and portabello
4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pearl barley

1 Prepare the broth, if necessary. Pour the oil into a large pot. Add the pancetta. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

2 Add the mushrooms, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and the garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the mushroom juices evaporate, about 10 minutes.

3 Stir in the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the barley and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 1 hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened.

4 Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve hot.

From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 6
Total Calories: 295
Calories from Fat: 78

More Recipes from the Cook'n in Italy Cookbook:
* Soups
Antonietta’s Bean Soup
Bean and Mushroom Soup
Bread Noodles in Broth
Chicken Broth
Chickpea Soup from Puglia
Chickpea and Pasta Soup
Chunky Fish Soup
Cooked Water Soup
Creamy Bean Soup
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Creamy Fennel Soup
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Egg Crepes in Broth
Egg Soup from Pavia
Escarole and Little Meatballs Soup
Fontina, Bread, and Cabbage Soup
Friulian Barley and Bean Soup
Green Bean and Sausage Soup
Leek, Tomato, and Bread Soup
Lentil and Fennel Soup
Lentil and Greens Soup
Ligurian Chickpea and Porcini Soup
Married Soup
Meat Broth
Milan-Style Pasta and Beans
Mushroom and Potato Soup
Mussels and Clams in Tomato Broth
Pasta and Beans
Pureed Lentil Soup with Croutons
Red Pepper Soup
Roman Egg Drop Soup
Seafood, Pasta, and Bean Soup
Semolina Fritters in Broth
Sicilian Tomato Barley Soup
Spinach, Lentil, and Rice Soup
Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup
Tuscan Fish Soup
Tyrolean Bread Dumplings
Vegetable Soup with Pesto
Winter Squash Soup
Zucchini Pesto Soup
Zucchini and Potato Soup
Zucchini and Tomato Soup