Pearl Barley Minestrone with Italian Sausage

Ingredients

• 4 thin Italian sausages
• skins removed & roughly chopped
• 1 medium brown onion
• finely chopped
• 4 slices Proscuitto
• chopped
• 1 carrot
• finely diced
• 1 celery stick
• finely diced
• 1 zucchini
• finely diced
• 3 large ripe tomatoes
• diced
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bunch English spinach
• finely shredded

Instructions

1. Prep ingredients- keeping them separate to one another.
2. Fry sausage,until golden brown, in a little olive oil and set aside.
3. Add the onion, pancetta, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens.
4. Add the zucchini, tomato, pearl barley and sausage and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until zucchini softens slightly.
5. Add the chicken stock and tomato paste and bring to the boil.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until barley is tender and soup thickens slightly.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. (I didn't add salt- enough in the Proscuitto)
9. Add the spinach to the soup and stir to combine.
10. Remove from heat.
11. Ladle soup among serving bowls.
12. Top with parmesan and serve immediately.