Barley With Gruyere And Pecan Crust

• FOR THE BASE:
• 2 cups Barley, Cooked To Package Instructions
• 1 cup Milk Or Half-and-Half
• 1 clove Garlic, Finely Minced
• 1 cup Grated Gruyere Cheese
• 1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1/2 cups Bread Crumbs, Or The Crust Of 8 Slices Of Bread
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/4 cups Pecan Halves
• Salt And Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. While the barley is cooking, prepare the topping: Put bread crumbs or crusts, butter, and pecans in a food processor with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Pulse until coarsely chopped. I like to leave some pieces for texture.
3. When the barley is cooked, put it into a mixing bowl. Into the cooked barley, add the milk, raw garlic and 2/3 of the cheeses, and stir together. Add more milk and salt and pepper until a slightly soupy consistency is reached.
4. Taste the barley mixture. Yum!
5. Pour barley into a large baking dish (I used an oval one; a 9x13 might be a bit big). Top with the remaining cheese and pecan mixture.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and slightly brown on top.
7. Make-ahead note: You could make the entire thing (or just cook the barley) in advance, keep it in the fridge for a few days, and heat it up when you're ready to eat it. To reheat, put the casserole in a COLD oven, then turn it to 375 F. As the oven warms slowly, so will the casserole. It'll be done in 30-45 minutes.
8. Hurray for whole grains!

barley, milk, clove garlic, gruyere cheese, cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, butter, ubc, salt

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/sidedishes/barley-with-gruyere-and-pecan-crust/ (may not work)