ღ Biži špakadi / bisi spacai
This fine, thick maneštra of halves of dried peas is a typical winter, traditional dish of the North Adriatic. It is extremely pleasant, and I like to prepare it, especially after a day when it is eaten more abundantly.
Preparation steps
- Put the dried peas in cold water and leave to soak overnight. Rinse it in a strainer under a stream of cold water. Finely chop the onion and garlic, chop the carrots and celery.
- Simmer the carrots, garlic, onion and celery briefly in the olive oil
- Add pre-soaked peas, water, bay leaf, vegetable cube and cook for about 40 minutes in an espresso pot over low heat. When the meal is ready (strain if necessary)
- Before serving, add freshly chopped parsley and, if necessary, add salt and pepper.
- If you wish, you can add a little small pasta (eg in the shape of a heart or one like rice / risoni) or some dried meat that you have cooked separately (omit this if you are making a vegetarian version). Or serve with toasted bread cubes and grated parmesan.
- Or in another variant Pre-soaked and washed peas put to boil in plenty of water, add chopped onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf or a sprig of rosemary (later remove) and vegetable stock. Maneštra is cooked for a long time, so stir occasionally so that the peas do not get caught in the bottom and burn, but also because of the foam that is created while cooking. If you want to speed up, cook in an espresso pot or after about an hour and a half of cooking, strain it.
