Minestra di bobici – Friuli Sweetcorn Soup

Minestra di bobici is a nutritious Italian summer soup made from sweetcorn, borlotti beans, smoked ham, potatoes and tomatoes. All cooked in a tasty chicken stock. The star ingredient is sweetcorn, which is ready to harvest in late July and August. At this time of year, the kernels are plump and tender and ready to burst.

Most versions of this recipe include some kind of smoked ham. You can use smoked bacon, or any cooked ham. Traditional Slovenian recipes still call for smoked ribs. But my favourite is just some generous cuts of cooked ham off the bone.

Where does minestra di bobici come from?

It comes from the Istrian coastline of Slovenia. In fact ‘bobici’ means ‘sweetcorn kernel’ in the Slovenian dialect of this region. Minestra di bobici is yet another example of the ability of the Friulian peasants to create wonderful flavours from the simple seasonal ingredients that were at hand.

The popularity of this soup has survived the frequent geopolitcal changes in this part of the Adriatic. As a result this soup remains a firm summer favourite in what is now Italy’s Friuli, particularly the Karst area around Trieste.

The timing of the corn harvest co-incides with the Feast of the Assumption which is takes place on 15th August every year. This religious occasion is widely observed in the Friuli region. So, despite its peasant origins, the locals have made this soup a central part of their religious celebrations for centuries.

This really is a great soup for summer. It’s very healthy. It’s not too heavy in the hot weather, and the sweetness of the corn gives it a fresh taste. And if that wasn’t enough, the kids love it.

If you would like to enjoy more flavours from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, then check out some of my other Friuli recipes here.

Buon appetito! 🇮🇹

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Minestra di bobici – Friuli Sweetcorn Soup

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Minestra di bobici is a nutritious late summer soup made from sweetcorn, borlotti beans, smoked ham, potatoes and tomatoes. All cooked in a tasty chicken stock.

Equipment

• Chef Knife
• Cooking pot
• Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 3-4 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 large clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 400 grams sweetcorn
• 400 grams borlotti or cannelinni beans
• 4 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 2 large tomatoes (roughly diced)
• 1 litre chicken stock (preferably home made)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 125g smoked ham, off the bone (cut into 1.5 cm cubes)

Instructions 

• Heat a pan and add oil. When hot, add the finely chopped onion and parsley, then sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Then add the garlic and continue to cook for a further minute, making sure not to let the garlic burn.
• Add the sweetcorn, beans, potatoes and tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring regularly to avoid sticking.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer then season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Simmer gently for 1 hour then add in the cooked ham for a few minutes until heated through.
• Adjust seasoning if needed, and then serve.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: italian food, soup, Summer, sweetcorn