Source: Lidia’s Italy
My dad’s side of the family is from the Trieste region of Italy. Because of its location and history, several traditional Triestine dishes have a Slavic influence. (It also has a unique dialect.)
Any good Triestino will have memories of jota, a hearty soup that combines beans, sauerkraut and a few forms of pork. Potato is used to thicken the soup. So we’re not talking about a particularly elegant soup, but on a cold winter day, it’s just what you need.
Lidia Bastianich’s recipe that I’m following flavours the broth with fresh pork butt, smoked pork sausage and fresh pork sausage. She calls for the meats to be removed and served separately, I’m keeping them in to create a satisfying single-bowl meal.
The soup takes about 2.5-3 hours to cook, but it’s a pretty hands-off process.