Orzotto, mushrooms, cheese and saffron

For autumn days, this recipe is ideal. Quick and easy to prepare (about an hour) it will make you savor the seasonal products.

Ingredients for 4 people:

250 g pearl barley
400 g porcini mushrooms
1 shallot
½ glass dry white wine
hot vegetable broth
40 g diced cheese
30 g butter
1 clove garlic
1 sachet powdered saffron
oil
salt
pepper
fresh thyme

Method

Using a non-stick pan, flavour the oil with the garlic and, when the latter has become golden, remove it. Add the cleaned and sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper and cook. Then chop the shallot and brown it in a saucepan with the olive oil: when it has become transparent, add the barley and toast it for a few minutes.
Add the white wine and cook for the time indicated on the package (about 25-30 minutes) adding a ladle of hot broth at a time. Reserve about two tablespoons of broth and use it to dissolve the saffron powder in a small bowl. With 8 minutes to go, add the mushrooms and saffron and mix everything together.
Turn off the heat, add the butter and the diced cheese. Stir, let it rest for a couple of minutes and transfer to serving dishes, finishing with mushrooms and fresh thyme to taste.