Sunday, May 1, 2011

Barley with Cheese and Herbs

In my quest for healthy food I decided to make the follinwing recipe.  Barley is a whole grain and therefore a healhty alternative to macaroni.  My kids did not even realize they not eating pasta and they asked for seconds.  We did tell they they were eating barley but I do not think that they realized what barley is and that they have refused to eat it in other applications.  If you want to try something different give this one a whirl.


Barley with cheese and herbs
Ingredients
Butter, for baking dish
Barley:
1 pound barley
8 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Filling:
2 cups (8 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar
2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella
1 cup skim evaporated milk
3 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Topping:
4 (about 5 ounces) 1/2-inch thick slices multi-grain or whole-grain bread, preferably 1 day old, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Directions


Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Farro: In a large stockpot, bring the barley, water and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the barley is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Filling: In a large bowl mix together the cheeses, milk, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked barley and stir until coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Topping: Arrange the bread pieces on top of the barley mixture and drizzle sparingly with olive oil.

Bake for 15 minutes until the topping is golden. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

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