Veal shank soup with pearl barley, shell pasta & leek

(Brodo di stinco di vitello con orzo e conchiglie)

Serves 6

100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) dice

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

450 g (1 lb) veal shank

fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 litres (105 fl oz/12 cups) veal or beef broth

1 small bay leaf

1 thyme sprig

200 g (7 oz/1 cup) pearl barley

200 g (7 oz) conchiglie dried pasta

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, to serve

Heat half of the extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the leek and garlic and slowly sauté until the vegetables become translucent. Season the veal shank with the sea salt and black pepper and pour the remaining extra virgin olive oil into a separate frying pan. Brown the veal shank in this pan, taking care not to burn it, before placing it in the pan with the leek and garlic. Add the broth, bay leaf, thyme and pearl barley and bring to the boil. Adjust the seasoning if required and let simmer for 2–3 hours or until the meat on the veal shank begins to fall off the bone. Stir regularly to prevent the barley from sticking to the base of the pan and burning.

When the meat is fully cooked, remove it from the pot and allow to cool before removing all the meat from the bone. Break or cut the meat up into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup. Bring the soup to the boil, add the pasta and cook for 10–12 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the parsley and serve with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.