Istrian stew facts for kids
Jota
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| Alternative names | Jota |
|---|---|
| Type | Stew |
| Place of origin | Croatia, Slovenia and Italy |
| Region or state | Istria |
| Main ingredients | Beans, sauerkraut, potatoes, bacon, spare ribs, garlic |
The Istrian stew or jota (Croatian: Istarska jota; Slovene: Jota, Italian: Jota) is a stew, made of beans, sauerkraut or sour turnip, potatoes, bacon, spare ribs, known in the northern Adriatic region. It is especially popular in Istria and some other parts of northwestern Croatia. Under the name jota, it is also typical of the whole Slovenian Littoral and in the former Austro-Hungarian territories in northeastern Italy, especially in the provinces of Trieste (where it is considered to be the prime example of Triestine food) and Gorizia, and in some peripheral areas of northeastern Friuli (the Torre river valley, and the mountain borderlands of Carnia and Slavia Veneta). The stew, based on etymology, most likely originated in Friuli before spreading east and south. "Jota" seems to derive from a Celtic root and has parallels in the ancient friulan language and in modern emilian-romagnol.
The dish shows the influence of both Central European and Mediterranean cuisine. In most of the recipes, olive oil is used, and the main seasoning is garlic.
In Slovenian Istria, it is often eaten together with polenta.
