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Bowl of Zuppa d'Orzo Tirolese with visible barley, speck, and carrot chunks in thick broth, steam rising on a wooden table

Zuppa d'Orzo Tirolese: Alpine Barley and Speck Soup

A hearty Alpine barley soup with speck, root vegetables, and potato, simmered stovetop until thick and tender.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian (Northern Italy)
Calories: 195
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soffritto
  • 30 g butter or olive oil
  • 150 g speck diced small
  • 1 onion medium (about 120 g); finely chopped
  • 1 carrot medium (about 90 g); finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery (about 60 g); finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
Soup
  • 200 g pearl barley not hulled
  • 1 potato medium (about 200 g); peeled, diced into 2 cm cubes
  • 1.8 l vegetable or beef stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram or fresh thyme
  • salt to taste; add gradually, speck is salty
  • black pepper to taste
To finish
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Dice the speck, finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery, mince the garlic, and peel and dice the potato into 2 cm cubes. Set everything aside near the stove.
  2. Melt the butter in a 5-quart / 4.5 L Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the speck and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the fat renders and the edges turn golden.
  3. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the soffritto softens and turns translucent without browning.
  4. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  5. Add the pearl barley and stir to coat it in the fat. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes, until the grains smell nutty.
  6. Pour in the stock and add the bay leaf and marjoram. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and partially cover the pot.
  7. Simmer for 20 minutes, skimming any foam off the surface occasionally.
  8. Add the diced potato and continue simmering uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the barley is tender with a slight chew and the potato is fork-tender.
  9. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper, tasting first since the speck and stock both add sodium.
  10. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley and a crack of black pepper. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Toast barley in speck fat before adding stock for better flavor
  • Add potato partway through, not at the start, to avoid mush
  • Go light on salt until the end, speck and stock are both salty
  • Use pearl barley, not hulled, unless you plan to double the simmer time