Ingredients
Soak the barley in plenty of water for three or four hours. Next day, heat the potatoes, broth and the carefully scrubbed cheese rind in a pan. Bring to boil and cook for at least an hour.
In the meantime, fry two finely chopped onions, two carrots and two diced celery sticks, the sage and rosemary and two whole bay leaves. When the fried mixture turns golden brown, throw it into the soup and continue cooking until the potatoes go soft and fall apart. Remove the cheese rind, cut it finely and put the pieces back in the pan.
Boil the barley for about 20 minutes with the remaining carrot, celery, onion and bay leaf and then add to the soup, which is served lukewarm. Finish off with a drop of extra-virgin olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper.