Pork, Sauerkraut, and Bean Soup
In Trieste, every home and every trattoria has a pot of this hearty soup perking on the stove, especially during the winter months, when the bora, a cold north-easterly wind, blows down from the Carso mountains above the city. Bean soups with pasta (pasta e fagioli) or rice are popular here too, as in other parts of Italy, but the combination of beans and sauerkraut is the favorite by far—a perfect example of the Slavic influence on the culinary culture of Trieste.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8 or more
Ingredients
Recommended Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the beans, and soak in 5 cups cold water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain, and put them in the stockpot with 5 quarts fresh cold water, the chunk of pork butt, bay leaves, chopped garlic, and potato chunks. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, set the cover slightly ajar, and adjust the heat to maintain a steady, gentle perk; cook for about 1 1/2 hours.
Step 2
Meanwhile, drain the liquid from the packaged sauerkraut, rinse it in a big bowl filled with fresh water, and drain through a colander. Repeat the rinsing and draining.
Step 3
After 1 1/2 hours, when the beans, pork, and potatoes are soft, add 1 tablespoon salt to the broth. Push the pork butt aside, and roughly mash the potato chunks in the bottom of the pot. Dump in the rinsed sauerkraut, stir well, cover the pot, and return to a moderate boil. Uncover, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, gradually reducing the soup.
Step 4
Rinse the sausages, drop them into the pot, and cook for another 30 minutes. If the soup seems thin, boil it uncovered and mash the potatoes more, if they’re still chunky, to provide thickening. If the soup is already reduced and dense, cook the sausages at a simmer, covered. When the sausages are cooked and the soup has the consistency you like, turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaves, and season generously with black pepper and salt to taste.
Step 5
Serve the soup right away, or for best flavor, let it cool, refrigerate overnight, and serve the next day. Reheat slowly, stirring frequently. When very hot, remove the sausages and the remainder of the pork butt (most of it will have broken up) to serve later as a separate course. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the jota and stir in; serve broth with beans and sauerkraut in warm soup bowls.
