Italian Barley Salad | Insalata d'Orzo perlato

Thoroughly rinse the pearl barley in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water. Bring to a boil in a pot with plenty of lightly salted water and simmer over medium heat for approx. 20–25 minutes until al dente. Drain, briefly rinse with cold water, and allow to cool completely.

Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick pan without fat over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a plate immediately and set aside.

Drain the marinated artichoke hearts and cut into quarters. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes into fine strips. Drain the mozzarella and cut into bite-sized pieces (or halve mini mozzarella). Roughly chop or halve the Kalamata olives. Peel the red onion and cut into thin half-rings. Wash the arugula and basil and pat dry.