andrejthechef
SloveniaSoupDinnerDairy-freeGluten-free

Bobiči

Slovenian Istrian bobiči: corn, beans and potatoes simmered with smoked pork into a thick, sweet and smoky soup, finished with olive oil and parsley.

prep
20 min
cook
1 h 40 min
total
2 h
serves
6
level
easy
Istrian bobiči soup with corn kernels, beans, potatoes and smoked pork

Bobiči is a rustic soup from Slovenian Istria and the Karst, named for the corn kernels (bobi) that give it its sweetness. Together with beans and potatoes they build a thick soup, flavored by smoked pork and a base of onion and garlic fried in olive oil.

It is the kind of food made from the garden and the smokehouse, and it is even better the day after it is made.

Bobiči is one of the twenty most famous Slovenian foods.

method

  1. Simmer the soaked beans with the smoked pork and bay leaves in the water for 1 hour.

  2. Add the potatoes and the corn, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until everything is tender and the soup is thick.

  3. In a small pan, soften the onion in the olive oil until golden, then add the garlic for 30 seconds. Stir into the soup.

  4. Remove the pork, pull it from the bones and return it to the pot. Mash a few spoonfuls of the beans against the side to thicken.

  5. Season and serve topped with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

chef's tips

  • Fresh summer corn is the most traditional; frozen kernels work all year.
  • Dried corn (hominy-style) needs soaking overnight and a longer cook time than fresh.
  • The soup tightens overnight: thin it with hot water as you reheat it.