Main course Home cooking inspired by risotto
Pumpkin and Pearl Barley Kaszotto
An autumn pearl barley kaszotto with tender pumpkin, thyme, butter and hard cheese. It cooks in one pan: the finished grains should be tender with a little bite, surrounded by a loose, creamy sauce.
Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
Scale the ingredient quantities proportionally. For a larger batch, use a wider pan or two pans so that you can stir along the base. Add stock according to the barley's absorption rather than the calculator alone; grain cooking time does not increase in proportion to servings, although a large batch takes longer to come to the boil.
You’ll need
wide, heavy-based 3.5–4 litre pan with a lid · knife, chopping board and vegetable peeler · sieve for rinsing the barley · fine grater · measuring jug · stirring spoon
Method
0/5 stepsPrepare the ingredients
Rinse the barley in a sieve and drain well. Cut the peeled, deseeded squash flesh into roughly 1.5 cm cubes. Finely dice the onion, chop the garlic and finely grate the cheese. Measure out 1000 ml of stock; reserve about a quarter in a jug to add later.
Prepare the ingredients Soften the onion
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add 150 g of onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent rather than deeply browned. Add 2 pcs of garlic and 1 tsp of thyme; stir for another minute.
05:00Soften the onion Start cooking the barley
Add 280 g of drained barley and stir for a minute to coat the grains in oil. Pour in the larger, unreserved portion of stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring two or three times and scraping the grains from the base.
10:00Start cooking the barley Add the squash and cook until tender
Add 600 g of squash, stir gently and continue cooking, partly covered, for about 15–20 minutes. Stir every few minutes. When the grains begin to rise above the liquid, add the reserved stock a little at a time; do not let them stick. Taste a few grains: they should be tender with a little bite, but no hard, chalky centre. The squash should yield easily to a fork. If the barley needs longer than the packet suggests, add a little hot water and continue simmering, checking every few minutes.
18:00Add the squash and cook until tender Finish the creamy sauce
Take the pan off the heat. Gently stir in 25 g of butter and 60 g of grated cheese; you can crush a few soft squash pieces with the spoon to thicken the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Leave the kaszotto slightly looser than the desired final texture, as the grains will keep absorbing liquid. Add a little remaining stock or hot water if it looks stiff. Leave for 2 minutes, then serve before it thickens too much.
02:00Finish the creamy sauce
Tips
- The roughly 50-minute total assumes barley that cooks in 25–30 minutes. Check the packet before buying: a slower-cooking product will lengthen the recipe.
- Add the squash after the barley has started cooking so that some cubes remain intact. Very small pieces will break down into a smoother sauce.
- Keep the heat low and stir along the base. A vigorous boil evaporates the liquid before the grains become tender.
- You may not need all the reserved stock. Let the tenderness of the grains and a loose, creamy consistency determine the final amount.
- Add the cheese off the heat. Taste the finished kaszotto before adding salt so that it does not become too salty.
Storage
Divide leftovers between shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Keep for up to 2 days. Reheat only the portion needed, once, over a low heat with extra water, stirring frequently, until piping hot throughout. The barley absorbs some sauce in the fridge and the squash will be softer after reheating.
Timing
Hands-on: 20 min · Cooking: 38 min · Resting: 2 min
Cooking questions
What if the barley is still firm but the liquid has gone?
Add hot water or remaining stock so that the grains are surrounded by liquid again. Continue on a low heat, partly covered, and check every few minutes. Timing depends on the variety and brand; the grains should have no hard, chalky centre. Add the butter and cheese only once the barley is tender.
Can I use Hokkaido squash instead of butternut?
Yes, use the same weight of deseeded flesh. Peel it for tender pieces and cut it into roughly 1.5 cm cubes. Hokkaido can be more floury and may thicken the sauce sooner, so watch the tenderness of the cubes and the amount of liquid towards the end of cooking.