“Genuine food” could easily be Istria’s motto
Istrian cuisine is based on great tasting, fresh, locally produced ingredients, seasonal vegetables, sea food and olive oil. The desire to keep it that way means the Istrian identity and traditions are being preserved. More and more word is emerging that Istria is a gourmet destination, whether buying from a roadside seller or tasting on the dining table, go discover!
According to the 1910 Encyclopedia Britannica Istrian olive oil was already famous in Roman times and the Teran red wines were well known. How wonderful both are still being produced, and together with the famous white truffles to be found in the interior, they form a trio of Istria’s major attractions.
Typical Istrian dishes include the fresh pasta and pršut and sheep cheese. As the wonderful variety or pasta shapes seem to be mainly translated by the word PASTA on many of the menus we have come across please spend a minute on this list, it’s worth it: |
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| Pljukanci | rolled up shapes of fresh pasta | |
| Fuži | particular shaped fresh pasta | |
| Njoki | same as gnocchi | |
| Rafioli | same as ravioli | |
The sauces served with these various pasta shapes depend on the season. If you a lucky enough to be around in April or May you will find wild asparagus on the menu. The Boškarin are the protected species of ox particular to Istria. Sauces made with this delicious meat are often served with Njoki (gnocchi).
Maneštra |
Delicious soup made with beans, potatoes and seasonal vegetables, sometimes with meat |  |
| Pršut | Air-dried ham, similar to prosciutto often served thinly sliced with sheep cheese as a starter. NB The annual Pršut Festival takes place in Tinjan at the end of October - free tastings for all. | |
| Pod pekom | Anything “pod pekom” is good. Literally it means “under the lid”. It is an outside oven where the meat, vegetables and herbs are slow cooked in a special pan with a tightly fitting lid right in the centre of the fire, covered by the embers. | |
| Kobasice | Home made Istrian sausages | |
| Ombolo | Best loin cut of pork – rubbed with salt, pepper, crushed bay leaves then air dried for two to three weeks – delicious grilled or sautéd in good quality olive oil | |
| Blitva | A “cousin” of spinach – blitva is prepared with potatoes, garlic and olive oil. It is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled fish or squid. You will see it on every fish menu. Delicious. |  |
| Škampi na buzaru | Langoustines in a “buzara” sauce: usually sauted sweet onions, garlic, olive oil, wine and plenty of chopped parsley. Shell fish often served in this special sauce. Always mop up with plenty of bread. | |
| Rižot | Risottos are a speciality of Istria. The famous black risotto is made with Sipa (cousin of the squid) which release a black inky liquid making for a velvet black mouthwatering risotto. |
On the coast the abundance of fresh fish and shell fish available will make any seafood fiend more than happy.
Slowly but surely Istrian truffles (tartuffi) have been making their name known in the world. Late summer, autumn and early winter are truffle finding time. Both the prized white truffle and the more common black truffle are commonly found in Istria. Restuarant menus offer them both in main and desert courses. You will know it is truffle time as the specially trained dogs go truffle-hunt mad and can be heard in the early hours.
Some years ago Carlo Zigante found the world’s largest white truffle (1.3kg) near Buje. It entered the Guinness Book of Records. To promote Istrian Truffles, he cooked a dinner for 100 people using his prize truffle as chief ingredient. As a result attention was drawn to the area and today there are Truffle Events held annually. If you know nothing about truffles there is no better introduction than visting one of the truffle fairs - wine tastings and other local produce available:
11 / 09 / 2010: Buzet "Subotina Festival"
Giant Truffle Omelette using 2010 eggs and 10kg of truffles
03 / 10 / 2010: Sovinjak "Bela Nedeja Festival"
White Sunday Truffle Festival
10, 17 & 24 October: Livade "White Truffle Fair"
This white truffle (pictured) on show for auction 24th October 2010
6 & 7 /11 / 2010: Buzet "Truffle Weekend"
Exhibition and truffle fair with other local produce
Olive oil began to be produced in Istria while the Romans were around and has never stopped. Olive groves cling to the hillsides all over the penninsula. This family picked the last of their olives - almost a trailor full - on 24th October 2010 from their groves on the hills near Motovun. Traditionally, olive harvesting is always a family affair. Some of the oils are simply magnificent and we highly recommend you go a-tasting. Best way to taste is done in a similar way to wine tasting – pour a little into a stemmed glass, swirl around whilst covering the glass top with your other hand, inhale the aroma then sip a quantity taking air into the mouth at the same time. What do you note? Is it sweet, bitter or peppery? What taste does it leave after swallowing?
Study the list of producers and the map to see where the nearest olive oil farm is to where you are staying.
| Producer | Location |
| Al Torcio | Strada Contessa – Just North of Novigrad towards Bužinija |
| Family Balija | Galižanska Road No.8 in Fažana on the South West coast |
| Franco Basiaco | A.Manzoni Road No.8 in Buje |
| Brist Olive – San Lorenzo | 1st Of May Road (Ulica 1.Maja) in Vodnjan |
| Sandi Chiavalon | V.Nazora Road No.16 in Vodnjan |
| Marijan Cossetto | Krasica – in between Buje & Grožnjan |
| Klaudio Ipša | Ipši about 5km North East of Motovun |
| Family Belci – Meloto | Mlinska Road No.7 in Vodnjan |
| Olea | Creska Road N00.34 in Rabac on Eastern Coast |
| Grubić – Olivetti | Domeico Černeka Roaad No.17 in Bale in the South West |
| Antonio Pastrovicchio | Istarska Road No. 28 in Vodnjan |
| Meneghetti | 5km South West of Bale (closest village : Betiga) |
| Ostojić – Perić | Burle Road No.36 in Medulin at the Southern tip of Istria |
| Carlo Zigante | Plovanija – 7km North of Buje |
This list is courtesy of the Istrian County Tourist Board.
According to Vinistra (Association of Wine makers of Istria) it is all about the SOIL. The varying soil colour, from a deep red in coastal areas to white in the interior, enriches the wine making process and creates the fine white Malvazija and deep red Teran wines that Istria is famous for. See vinistra.com for in depth wine coverage. Do include at least an afternoon of tasting during your visit – there are plenty of wineries all over the peninsula.
The Istrian County Tourist Board have made it easier to distinguish the best wines from the more ordinary and have produced a list of ”selected” wine producers. Look out for the names on restaurant wine lists when you would like to try a special bottle of something. The IQ (Istrian Quality) sign on the label signifies high quality Malvasia wine. Restaurants and Konoba will always have the local “ordinary” wines too which can be ordered in very small jugs, 2dcl (decilitre), 3dcl, half litre or litre jugs, often exceptionally good.
Selected wine producers and the village where they can be found as per the Istrian County Tourist Board.
| Producer | Village |
| Franc Arman | Vižinada - 2km West of Vižinada |
| Marijan Arman | Vižinada - 2km West of Vižinada |
| Vina Benvenuti | Motovun - 5km South East of Motovun |
| Giorgio Clai – Bijele Zemlje | Krasica – In between Krasica & Bijele Zemlje (Terre Bianchi) |
| Moreno Coronica | Koreniki - 6km South East of Umag |
| Moreno Degrassi | Bašanija - 6km North of Umag |
| Gianfranco Kozlović | Valle – 4km East of Momjan |
| Marino Markezić-Kabola | Kremenje – 2km West of Momjan |
| Ivica Matošević | Krunčići – Almost at the inland tip of the Lim Fjord |
| Đordano Peršurić | Peršurići – 6km South of Višnjan |
| Mladen Rožanić-Roxanich | Kosinožići – 6km East of Poreć |
| Eliđo Pilato | Lašići – 3km South West of Vižinada |
| Peter Poletti | Markovac- 2km North West of Višnjan |
| Franko Radovan | Radovani – 5km South of Višnjan |
