Source: "Deliciously Healthy Jewish Cooking" by Harriet Roth

Servings: 12 (Meat)

• 4 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth, defatted (see Note below)
• 2 (7 ounces) packages brown farfel (toasted egg barley) (or use regular farfel browned briefly under the broiler)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and minced
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan; add the farfel and simmer over medium heat until almost dry.

2. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the mushrooms and saute 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the farfel to the mushroom-onion mixture. Blend. Add the parsley and pepper. Taste and add salt if needed. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. Coat a 2-1/2 quart ring mold with olive oil cooking spray. Add the farfel mixture and cover the mold with foil.

5. Place the mold in a large baking pan. Fill the pan with 1 inch of hot water, transfer to the oven, and bake for 1 hour.

6. Remove the farfel from the water bath and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove foil, loosen the edges of the farfel with a spatula, and unmold.

To Serve: Unmold the ring on a round platter and fill the center with any desired vegetables, such as peas and carrots in the center, surrounded with broccoli and cauliflower florets.

Note: One package of low-sodium soup mix with or without noodles, combined with 4-1/2 cups boiling water may be substituted for the chicken broth.