Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Istrian menus come with an enticing list of pastas. You'll see familiar dishes such
as gnocchi and risotto, but Istria also adds some unique noodles to the mix.
Fuži
are
little pasta squares that are rolled up to create hollow noodles, roughly shaped like
penne;
pljukanci
are short, thick, nearly transparent twists (similar to Italian
trofie
).
You'll often find game on the menu, as well as
boškarin
—the meat of an indigenous
Istrian longhorn cattle.
Ombolo
is pork loin—a locally beloved dish.
Istria is also a major wine-growing region. And—now that they've made progress
repairing the damage done by communist-era winemaking cooperatives—Istrian
wines are beginning to get some international attention...and grudging respect among
wine snobs. Relatively few Istrian wines are exported (though the number is grow-
ing), so this region gives wine lovers a good opportunity to discover some new bou-
quets.
About 80 percent of Istrian wines are white, many made with the grape called
malvazija
(mahl-VAH-zee-yah; better known to English-speakers as mal-
