Organic Pearl Barley

No soaking, ready in 20 minutes — for hot and cold dishes, recommended with mushrooms

The gladiator grain from the Umbrian mountains: 15,6g of fiber and an irresistible vocation for the forest.

Organic Pearl Barley from Dolci Giuseppina

Alongside the celebrated farro, Dolci Giuseppina also organically grows the other great Apennine grain in the mountain fields of Monteleone di Spoleto: barley. The pearling process makes this grain a paragon of convenience—no soaking required, just 20 minutes of cooking—and versatility: it excels in hot dishes, from orzotti to soups, but also holds up beautifully in cold summer salads, where it remains firm and grainy. Its nutritional profile is astonishing: a full 15,6 g of fiber per 100 grams, a value few grains can match, with just 1,16 g of fat. And in the kitchen, it has a declared soul mate: mushrooms, with which its sweet, slightly toasted flavor creates the perfect pairing.
 
 
 

The roots of this barley are deep in tradition

In ancient Rome, gladiators had a nickname that spoke volumes: "hordearii," the barley eaters—from hordeum, the Latin name for the grain. Pliny the Elder recounts this: in gladiatorial schools, the fighters' diet was based on generous rations of barley and legumes, believed to build the strength and endurance needed in the arena. And even before that, in Greece, barley was the sacred grain of Demeter, an ingredient in the kykeon drunk by initiates to the Eleusinian Mysteries. A grain of athletes and gods, in short, before wheat relegated it to a supporting role—surviving, like spelt, especially in the highlands where its hardiness withstands the cold. This mountain barley brings back to the table the grain that made the champions of the arena strong.
 
 
 

Choosing Organic Pearled Barley means taking care of yourself

One striking figure is 15,6 g of fiber per 100 grams, among the highest values ​​among all grains. Most of this fiber is beta-glucan, the soluble fiber typical of barley, the subject of numerous studies for its contribution to maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels and controlling glycemic response. Added to this is a minimal fat content (1,16 g), almost no sugar (0,8 g), and virtually no salt: a grain that satiates for a long time, nourishes gently, and leaves you feeling light. Grown organically at a thousand meters above sea level, without synthetic chemicals: the strength of gladiators, with a clear conscience.
 
 
 

How to Best Use: Organic Pearled Barley

• ORZOTTO WITH MUSHROOMS, THE CHOICE OF COMBINATION: cook it like a risotto and mix it with Fresh Cardoncello o Dried Mushrooms 35g rehydrated - also using its soaking water as broth - or, for the quickest way, with a jar of Shiitake cream: the toasted taste of barley and the scent of the woods were born to be together.
• PAN-SAUTEED WITH FRESH MUSHROOMS: boil it for 20 minutes — without soaking — and sauté it in a pan with Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms sautéed, Organic Hokkaido Pumpkin, garlic and parsley: a unique autumn dish ready in half an hour, to be completed with a sprinkling of aged cheese.
• COLD SUMMER BARLEY SALAD: cool it under running water and season it with Cardoncelli Mushrooms in Oil in pieces and Cardoncelli Mushrooms with Almonds as a creamy condiment: the pearled grain remains shelled and firm, perfect for preparing in advance for beach lunches and packed lunches.

The Manufacturer: Dolci Giuseppina

Dolci Giuseppina is a family-run farm in Monteleone di Spoleto, the highest municipality in Umbria. On land inherited from their grandparents, at about a thousand meters above sea level, the family grows the famous mountain spelt along with barley, ancient legumes, and saffron, using methods that preserve the soil's fertility and an authentic farming tradition passed down from generation to generation.
 
 
 

Ingredients

Organic pearl barley. Contains GLUTEN.
 
 
 

Nutritional Values ​​(average values ​​per 100g of product)

• Energy value: 329 kcal (1390 kJ)
• Fat: 1,16 g, of which saturated fatty acids 0,2 g
• Carbohydrates: 77,7 g, of which sugars 0,8 g
• Fiber: 15,6 g
• Protein: 9,91 g
• Salt: <0,01 g

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