Ingredients:

• 2 cups pearl barley
• 1.8 to 2 litres chicken stock
• 100g Benna Ġbejna Sagħtar u Kosbor (grated)
• 100g Benna Ġbejna Moxxa covered with 2.5 teaspoons of crushed pepper (grated)
• 80g Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3 tablespoons Benna Unsalted Butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt (optional)
• 50g Ġbejna Sagħtar u Kosbor (crumbled)

Method:

1. Warm the chicken stock in a pan and leave on a gentle simmer
2. In a large frying pan (which can hold the barley), over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Once hot, add the barley and toast it lightly for 3 minutes
3. Add a few ladles of stock until the barley is just covered. Stir until the barley absorbs the liquid and add another two ladles of stock. Continue adding the stock, stirring, and letting the barley absorb it until all stock is absorbed and the barley is tender but not mushy (about 30 to 40 minutes). If it is too dry, keep on adding more stock until it is thick yet creamy.
4. Add all the cheese, pepper and butter. Combine until the butter and cheese are melted in the barley and add salt if needed. Serve immediately with more crumbled Ġbejna on top.