Boil the barley in a saucepan on the stove in 4-5 cups of water until al dente. Drain when cooked and set aside. Cut the pumpkin into small dice. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Saute the pumpkin in oil until it begins to soften, add a few ladles of stock until cooked through. Keep warm.
Heat water in a large pot on the stove. Add the can of pumpkin and bring to a boil. Add the rest of the ingredients. Feel free to add/reduce the spices as you wish. Simmer soup for approximately fifteen minutes or until the celery and onion are getting soft.
This soup originated in the Puglia region in Italy’s east where barley is grown. Soak the barley in water overnight, or for few hours minimum. After soaking, rinse the barley with cold water. Boil the barley in a saucepan on the stove in 4-5 cups of water until al dente. Drain when cooked and set aside.
Simmer soup for approximately fifteen minutes or until the celery and onion are getting soft. If the mix seems to thick, add more water because the instant barley will have absorbed a lot of it.