Pearl barley porridge with baked apples and pears

The quest for the perfect porridge continues. I have bought a very smart little grain roller inspired by Joost Bakker. While my groats (not a typo – they are what you call oats after they have been husked but before they have been rolled) are on backorder, I am experimenting with regular rolled oats. As I was desperate to roll something myself, I tried rolling some pearl barley grains in the pantry, but found I prefer the texture of the barley as it is. So, with or without a roller, this is very delicious.

Credit: annabelle hickson

• serves

  4

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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.

Recipe from The Dailys by Annabelle Hickson, with photography by Annabelle Hickson.

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.