Pisi e Orzo

i used a cup of organic chicken broth and a cup of v8 and water for the broth. need to use up barley in the pantry and peas in the freezer.

straight forward barley and pea soup recipe that will be nice in late spring when fresh peas reach the markets. To serve 6:
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:

* 12 ounces (300 g) pearled barley
* 2 quarts good vegetable broth
* 6 ounces (150 g) freshly shelled peas
* 2 ounces (50 g) pancetta, either ground or diced
* An onion, minced
* 1 tablespoon minced parsley
* Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:
Pour the broth into a pot, add the barley, and simmer it gently, covered.

In the meantime sauté the pancetta with the onion and the parsley; as soon as the onion begins to brown add the peas and cook, stirring, until the peas are about half cooked. Stir the pea mixture into the barley, check seasoning, and continue simmering the soup until the barley is done.

Yield: 6 servings barley and pea soup.