Menestra de far - Minestra di farro - Juha od pira

INGREDIENTS:

- 200 g (7 oz) pearl barley
- 120 g (4.2 oz) beans (dried)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) potatoes
- 1 celery stalk
- A ham bone or another pork bone
- 100 g (3.5 oz) bacon
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- 2 carrots
- Salt and pepper

PREPARATION:

Clean and wash the beans, then soak them for several hours (or overnight).
Cook the beans in salted water. When the water starts to boil, add the peeled and chopped potatoes, chopped carrots, and celery.

Add the ham bone and cook together.

In a separate pan, sauté the bacon and minced garlic, then add them to the stew.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook everything over low heat for about 2 hours.
​​​​​​​When the stew is almost done, remove about two-thirds of the cooked potatoes, mash them, and return them to the stew to make it thicker.

Cook for another 5 minutes.