Ingredients

• 150g/5½oz pearl barley
• rinsed
• 400ml/14fl oz vegetable stock
• 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans
• drained and rinsed
• 600g/1lb 5oz fennel
• finely chopped
• 100g/3½oz black olives
• stones removed
• roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 8 large tomatoes on the vine
• 30g/1oz fresh basil
• very finely chopped
• 2½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tbsp lemon juice
• plus extra if needed
• 15g/½oz pine nuts
• roughly chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Place the pearl barley
• stock
• cannellini beans
• fennel
• olives
• garlic
• bay leaves and oil in a casserole dish or small
• deep roasting tin and stir to combine. Place the tomatoes on top
• cover tightly with kitchen foil or a lid and cook for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile
• to make the basil and pine nut dressing
• mix together the basil
• oil
• pinch sea salt
• lemon juice and pine nuts in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Leave the stew to stand for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the tomatoes on to a separate plate then stir through half of the dressing into the stew. Taste and add more salt
• pepper and lemon juice
• if needed. Return the tomatoes to the dish.
• Drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve immediately.