FENNEL "MANEŠTRA" (ISTRAIN STEW)
250 g of dried beans
50 g of pešt (sliced bacon and garlic)
½ kg of potatoes
150 g fennel
dry bones for the maneštra
pork tongue
salt, pepper
Soak the dry beans for 12 hours before cooking. Clean and wash the fennel. To prepare the stove: mash the bacon and garlic until a creamy mixture is obtained. Boil beans and potatoes in the water, and add the stove once the water is boiling. In the meantime, in a different pot boil the dry bones (this process will take off all the impurities that will remain in the water that is thrown away after cooking). When the beans and potatoes are half cooked, the boiled dry bones, tongue and fennel are added to the mane. After all the ingredients have been cooked, dry meat is removed from the maneštra and separated from the bone, a portion of potatoes and beans is removed, which is crushed with a fork and then returned to the maneštra after to give density. Salt and steam, and let it cook for a few more minutes.
BROAD BEANS "MANEŠTRA" (ISTRIAN STEW)
500g of white dried beans
200 g of broad beans
2 -3 potatoes
2 cups homemade noodles
rosemary, laurel, salt, pepper
dry bones or bacon or bacon skin
Soak the dry white beans for 12 hours before cooking. Clean and wash the beans. To prepare the stove: mash the bacon and garlic until a creamy mixture is obtained. Boil the white beans and potatoes in the water, and when the water has boiled add the stove. Then add up the spices: salt, pepper, laurel, rosemary. When the beans and potatoes are almost cooked, fresh broad beans are added to the "maneštra", and then cooked a little bit more with the other ingredients. About ten minutes after adding the broad beans, a cup or two of homemade noodles are added to the maneštra. The broad bean maneštra is typically a spring dish cooked without meat or, in some cases, containing dry bones, skin or other pig parts (pork ears or tail) that were part of each maneštra when available.
