Main courses

Soup of barley and pumpkin flowers

Ingredients for 4 servings

200g precooked pearl barley

1 l vegetable stock

2 courgettes

4 pumpkin flowers

1 envelope saffron

40g smoked pancetta

1 ripe and firm tomato

1 shallot

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI

parsley

basil

marjoram

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

Author: Licia Cagnoni

Dice the courgettes. Cut the pancetta into thin strips.

In a pot, sauté the chopped shallot with a little oil, add the pancetta and courgettes.

Rinse the barley through a fine mesh strainer and empty it into the mixture.

Wet with hot stock and add the saffron.

Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Blanch the tomato in boiling water for 10 seconds, peal and dice the pulp.

Blend 1/3 of the soup. Put this blended third with the rest inside the pot, add the chopped herbs, the tomato pulp diced and the pumpkin flowers cut in strips.

Dress with two or three tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar from Modena and cook for 1 more minute. Let it cool a little and serve.