- 2 red onions
- 75g pearl barley
- 1 chilli
- A handful of mint, leaves only
- 1 lemon
- ½ melon
- 50g watercress
- ½ x 250g ricotta
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200ml boiling water
- 1.
Heat your oven to 200°C/180°C/Gas 6. Peel the red onions and chop them into 6-8 wedges each. Scatter the onions into a roasting tin. Drizzle over 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle over a pinch of salt and pepper. Slide the tin into the oven and roast for 20-25 mins, till tender and golden at the edges.
- 2.
Meanwhile, put a small pan of salted water on to boil. When it’s boiling, tip in the pearl barley. Cover, bring back to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 mins till tender.
- 3.
Halve the chilli, scraping out the seeds and membrane for less heat. Finely chop the chilli. Shred the mint leaves. Slide the mint and chilli into a bowl. Squeeze in the lemon juice and pour in 1 tbsp oil. Whisk together with a fork. Set aside.
- 4.
Halve the melon and scoop the seeds out of 1 half (the remaining melon half will keep in your fridge for a few days for snacking). Slice half the melon into wedges, then slice off the peel. Chop the peeled melon into bite-sized chunks.
- 5.
When the barley is tender, drain and rinse with cold water. Shake dry and tip into a salad bowl. Add the melon, onions and watercress. Stir in most of the mint and chilli dressing. Divide the salad between plates and dot on spoonfuls of ricotta. Spoon over the remaining dressing to serve.
- Tip
Lotta ricotta
Whisk your leftover ricotta with an egg, a splash of milk, 100g plain flour and a pinch of baking powder and salt to make a thick batter. Fry spoonfuls in an oiled pan over a medium heat to make ricotta hotcakes. Delicious for breakfast with fresh fruit.
