serves
4
prep
25 minutes
cook
50 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
25
minutes
cooking
50
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 300 g (1½ cups) pearl barley
- 3 apples, cored, quartered (see note)
- 3 pears, cored, quartered (see note)
- 75 g (⅓ cup) raw sugar
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 750 ml (3 cups) milk, plus extra to thin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to taste
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg, plus extra to taste
- pinch of salt
- 135 g (1½ cups) rolled oats
- natural yoghurt and chopped toasted pecans, to serve
You will need to begin this recipe 1 day ahead.
Instructions
The night before, soak the pearl barley in a big bowl of water.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the apple, pear and 2 tbsp of sugar in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to a buttered baking dish with the butter and bake for 25 minutes or until soft and caramelised. Cool, then refrigerate until needed.
The next day, drain the barley and transfer to a saucepan. Add 375 ml (1½ cups) of milk, the spices (plus extra to taste, if desired), salt and remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a little milk if the mixture is looking dry, for 15 minutes. Add the oats and the remaining milk, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the porridge is tender. Of course, add more milk if needed.
Serve with the baked apples and pears, and yoghurt and toasted pecans.
Note
• I used fuji apples and packham pears.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
