1.  Place the barley in a bowl and add enough water to thoroughly cover the grains. Set aside for at least 3 hours or overnight. When you are ready to make the lentils, drain the soaking liquid from the barley and rinse.

2.  Sort and rinse the lentils thoroughly to ensure there are no rocks or bad beans.

3.  Place the cleaned lentils into a pot and fill with 2 quarts fresh water. Place the pot on the stove and heat over medium-high heat.

4.  While the pot is heating, add to it the celery, garlic, onion, bay leaf and a little salt. Cover the pot and let the water come to a rolling boil.

5.  Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium, add the barley, stir and let it simmer, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes.

6.  When the lentils and barley begin to soften, add the tomato puree, pepper and the olive oil. Remove the bay leaf. Cover the pot and let it continue cooking for another 15 minutes until the lentils and barley are soft but still al dente. If the liquid cooks out too quickly and the mixture becomes thick and dry, add water to the pot as needed. If there is too much liquid in the pot, uncover and simmer over high heat until the mixture thickens to your taste, stirring frequently so the lentils do not stick and burn on the bottom of the pan.

7.  When the lentils and barley have finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat, add the Parmigiano to the pot and mix well. Taste and add salt as needed.

8.  Plate the mixture and serve.