Orzo

I can remember when I was a child we had a sort of ‘coffee’ for breakfast made from barley grains. When roasted and soaked in water or milk, barley produces a brownish liquid that resembles coffee. Another derivative of barley that delighted us as children during the summer was a drink called orzata, which was made with germinated barley, and ground almonds preserved in sugar and water. Orzo perlato, or pearl barley, is used in soups in the Alto Adige and Friuli regions, where the Austrian influence can still be felt.