I am really excited to share these little patties, as they turned out far better than I expected and packed full of flavour and goodness. I made mini ones for Harry to test, he paused momentarily after the first bite, and I thought ‘oh no…’ but then he demolished three of them in a row ‘pheew.’ I ate mine burger style (see pic), and it was delish.

A great alternative to a beef burger patty, and perfect for any vegetarian guests.

Tip: Babies and toddlers can eat these as they are or with melted cheese on top. Older children can have theirs burger style on a bread roll. And adults will enjoy these on a roll topped with goats cheese. So delicious.

Nutrition Note:  Pearl barley, an ancient grain, is a great ingredient in vegetarian meals.  It contains protein, is low in fat, sodium and high in fibre.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pearl barley
• 2 slices wholemeal bread
• ½ small onion, very finely chopped or processed
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup button mushrooms
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 2 tbs fresh herbs (e.g. chives, parsley, coriander)
• 1 tbs soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free option)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ¾ cup grated cheese
• 1 tbs ricotta

Method

Step 1

Cook barley according to pack directions (this can take up to 45 minutes so I did it the night before and refrigerated). -

Step 2

Using a food processor, process the bread until a fine crumb forms. -

Step 3

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small saucepan. Sauté the onions until clear. -

Step 4

Place the mushrooms, herbs and zucchini in the processor and process until finely chopped. Squeeze out any excess juice. -

Step 5

Combine the egg, barley, mushroom mix, bread crumbs, onion, soy sauce, ricotta and cheese in a bowl. Stir well to combine. -

Step 6

Heat butter in a pan over medium. Drop 2 - 3 tablespoon amounts of mixture into the pan and flatten with a spatula until you have a nice sized patty. Cook for a few minutes either side. Serve. -