Istrian maneštra: one name, many seasonal dishes

Maneštra is not one fixed recipe. In Istria, it is a family of hearty spoon dishes, usually cooked with beans and potatoes, whose ingredients change with the season and what is available.

Bobići, jačmik, slanac and jota

The name often reveals the key ingredient. Maneštra od bobići is made with young corn, jačmik means barley, and slanac means chickpeas. Fennel, Swiss chard or spinach may also go into the pot. When sauerkraut or sour turnip takes the lead, the dish is jota, a winter staple.

Maneštra is made with cured pork or without it. A dried Istrian pršut bone was especially prized because long cooking gave flavour to the beans, potatoes and vegetables.

Pešt goes in at the start

Istrian pešt is not basil pesto. Pancetta, garlic and parsley are finely chopped into a paste and added to the pot at the start of cooking. The pancetta cooks down, while the garlic and parsley season the whole dish.

Texture and place in a meal

Depending on the season and the household, one maneštra is thicker and closer to a stew, while another is more brothy. It can open a meal or stand on its own. Some of the cooked beans and potatoes can be mashed near the end for a thicker texture. On a menu, the full name often says more than maneštra alone.