Bramboracky (Czech Savory Potato Pancakes)

"Bramboracky (bram-bor-atch-key) are traditional pan-fried potato pancakes best accompanied by beer. This is a recipe that my Czech boyfriend and I have fun with often. Potato pancakes are commonly associated with traditional Czech, Ukrainian, Yiddish, German, Hungarian and Polish cuisines, although other cuisines (including those of India and Korea) also have similar potato pancakes."


Ingredients

1 h 3 servings 527 cals

•  4 large potatoes 
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed 
• salt and black pepper to taste 
• 1 pinch dried marjoram (optional) 
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional) 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour oil for frying 

Directions

Peel and coarsely grate the potatoes, squeezing out as much liquid as you can. Transfer the shredded potatoes to a mixing bowl. Stir in the crushed garlic, salt, pepper, marjoram, and caraway seeds.
Beat the eggs with the milk. Add the egg mixture to the potatoes and stir well to combine. Gradually mix in the flour to form a thick but still pourable batter.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; the oil should be about 1/4-inch deep. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into the hot oil, flattening it slightly. Fry the pancake until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Taste the first pancake and adjust the seasoning if necessary; repeat with remaining batter.

Footnotes

Cook's Note

You can add ham, bacon, or cheese to the pancakes before frying them, if desired. Substitute oregano for the marjoram and cumin seed for the caraway if you prefer. Enjoy them plain, with beer, topped with cheese, or with ketchup or mustard.

Editor's Note

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.


Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/212824/bramboracky-czech-savory-potato-pancakes/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringId=713&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Knedliky - Czech Dumpling with Sauerkraut (Zeli)

"This was my grandmothers recipe and it has remained a family favorite... It should be served with roast pork, sauerkraut and a nice glass of beer. A very traditional way to eat the leftover dumplings the next day for breakfast or brunch is to chop them up into cubes, pan fry in a little butter; then add eggs and milk, and cook as if you are making scrambled eggs. It's great."

Ingredients

• 1 h 30 m 8 servings 345 cals
• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar 
• 3 eggs, beaten 
• 1 1/2 cups milk, or as needed 
• 4 cups dry white bread cubes 
• 4 slices bacon, sliced into small strips 
• 1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut - rinsed and drained 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 
• 2 teaspoons cold water 
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch 

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center, and pour in the eggs and 1 cup of milk. Stir to blend, and add enough additional milk to make a moist battery dough, not like pancake batter. Use a sturdy wooden spoon to beat the dough at least 200 strokes, rolling it over and over in the bowl until smooth and an occasional bubble appears on the surface. Add the dry white bread cubes, and stir into the dough until they disappear.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the dough onto a cheesecloth or white cotton cloth, and form into a loaf shape. Wrap the cloth around the loaf, and tie the ends.
Place the loaf into the boiling water, and cook for 45 minutes, turning the loaf over about half way through. Remove from the water, unwrap, and cover with a tea towel. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Fry bacon in a small skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Set aside. Place the drained sauerkraut into a saucepan, and add enough water to cover the surface. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add bacon, and season with salt, pepper and caraway seeds. Stir together the cornstarch and water; mix into the sauerkraut, and simmer for a few minutes before removing from the heat.
Slice the dumpling loaf. Drizzle dumpling slices with some of the roast drippings from the pan. Serve with sauerkraut.

Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/69832/knedliky---czech-dumpling-with-sauerkraut-zeli/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringId=713&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Chicken Paprika (Csirke Paprikash)

This is a great recipe! I recommend cutting up the chicken before mixing with the butter/basil tossed egg noodles. It makes it much easier to eat, and much more enjoyable, as the sauce gets to every inch of the noodles and chicken! The sauce is extra tasty, so make some good bread to sop up all the sauce! Add a wonderful salad and the meal is complete. This recipe is adapted from a recipe from the Masonic Grand Lodge of Fargo, North Dakota.

INGREDIENTS 

SERVINGS 4 UNITS US

• 1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 5 tablespoons margarine, divided
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3 -4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granule
• 1 (16 ounce) carton sour cream
• 1 (8 ounce) package medium egg noodles
• chopped fresh parsley or fresh cilantro, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Melt 1 tbsp margarine in a large skillet. Cook mushrooms over medium heat until medium tender. Drain moisture from skillet. Melt another 3 tbsp margarine in the skillet, adding sliced onions and garlic. Cook until onions are tender. Stir in the vinegar and paprika.
Meanwhile, mix flour and next 3 ingredients. Dredge the chicken breasts through the flour mixture. Place in the skillet with the vegetables, pushing them up against the side so the chicken will brown. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Add water and chicken bouillon granules. Heat to a boil, then reduce to low and cover for 1 hour.
Prepare the egg noodles according to the directions. Add 2 tbsp margarine and parsley/cilantro to taste.
While the noodles are finishing up, remove the chicken from the heat. Add the sour cream. Add salt and pepper as needed.
I prefer to cut my chicken up into bite size pieces and mix with the noodles. Another option is to serve the chicken on top of the noodles, topped with the sauce. It is just easier for kids and the "knife-challenged" to eat it if it is already cut up!

Source:

http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-paprika-csirke-paprikash-210111

Bohemian Sweet and Sour Cabbage

This recipe is so old it could be considered "antique." It was my Grandmother's recipe. When I prepared it, I was an adult but it definitely rang childhood memory bells. I did remember the delicious taste. My Grandmother wrote out this recipe as I am reproducing it and on the recipe she noted that this dish is good with roast pork or pork chops, dumplings and applesauce. An excellent meal from Central Europe! (Bread dumplings are now available in the freezer section of the supermarket.)

INGREDIENTS 

SERVINGS 4-6 UNITS US

• 1 onion, larger than a walnut, chopped
• 1 tablespoon shortening (or oleo)
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄2 cup vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1⁄2 lbs cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seed (or to taste) (optional)
• 2 teaspoons flour

DIRECTIONS

Brown the onion in the shortening, only to a golden color. Do not brown.
Add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil. (This liquid is just enough for this size cabbage.).
Put cabbage in; sprinkle with caraway seed if you wish.
Boil for 1/2 hour.
Sprinkle with flour. Stir it up and boil just a few seconds for the flour to dissolve.
Grandmother notes that you shouldn't "put cooked cabbage in the freezer -- just in box." (Box is the old-time short way of saying "icebox" -- we would say refrigerator!).

Source:

http://www.food.com/recipe/bohemian-sweet-and-sour-cabbage-169164

Czech Sauerkraut Soup

This is very easy and delicious soup. Each family in Czech Republic makes it a little bit different this is the way we do it.

INGREDIENTS 

SERVINGS 4 UNITS US

• 1 (15 ounce) can sauerkraut (drained)
• 5 -6 medium potatoes (cut it into small pieces)
• 1⁄2onion (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon caraway seed
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1⁄2Polish kielbasa (cut into small pieces)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Put the onions into the saucepan with the little bit of oil and cook over low heat until lightly yellowed do not brown.
Add water and potatoes with salt and caraway seed. Let it cook for few minutes then add sauerkraut and polish kielbasa.
Let it cook for at least 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Then add some sour cream, pepper and vinegar if needed.

Source:

http://www.food.com/recipe/czech-sauerkraut-soup-268448

Czech Sauteed Mushrooms

This is a quick & easy recipe for sauteed mushrooms the way they are eaten in the Czech republic (formerly Czechoslovakia). These mushrooms are delicious & make a great side dish. Posted for ZWT.

INGREDIENTS 

SERVINGS 4 UNITS US

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 lb fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon caraway seed
• salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Fry onions in melted butter. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until translucent; add mushrooms, caraway seed and salt.
Sautee for 10 to 15 minutes & serve immediately.

Source: 

http://www.food.com/recipe/czech-sauteed-mushrooms-307209

Czech Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

This recipe is being posted for ZWT II. I was half-raised on Czech food & loved it! I confess I found this on the net some time ago, but didn't document a source. What I copied did contain the name Sylvia Sajna & said "A very delicious stuffed pepper recipe w/a yummy creamy tomato sauce."

INGREDIENTS 

SERVINGS 8
YIELD 8 Stuffed Peppers
UNITS US

Peppers

• 8 green bell peppers
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 cup rice (cooked)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Sauce

• 1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large onions (chopped)
• 2 (28 ounce) cans tomatoes (whole)
• 3 peppercorns
• 3 allspice berries
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• 1 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Cut tops off of peppers & remove seeds & membranes from inside. (See Note Below).
In a skillet over med heat, sauté 1 chopped onion till tender.
In a lrg bowl, combine ground beef, sauteed onion, cooked rice & eggs. Season w/parsley, salt & pepper. Mix well & stuff into peppers. Place in a lrg roasting pan.
Heat oil in a lrg saucepan over med heat. Sauté 2 chopped onions till soft & translucent. Stir in tomatoes. Season w/peppercorns, allspice berries, ground allspice, oregano, marjoram, salt & pepper.
Cook over med heat for 15-20 minutes. Pour over peppers in roasting pan. Cover & bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove peppers & transfer sauce to a blender (or use hand blender). Pureé sauce till smooth. Pour sauce back into pan & reheat. Whisk in sour cream just before serving.
Note on 8/27: I did not try this recipe b4 I entered it, but I have now. This makes a farily lrg amt of stuffing & it is best to halve the peppers & mound the stuffing equally as pictured. This does not chg the cooking time. The stuffed peppers are very good & the sauce is the "shining star" -- so use it generously. Enjoy!

Source:

http://www.food.com/recipe/czech-stuffed-green-bell-peppers-170833

Czech Goulash (the Real Thing)

This came from my Grandmother who received it from her mother who moved here from Czechoslovokia.

INGREDIENTS 

SERVINGS 8-12 UNITS US

• 2 lbs cubed beef, about 1/2 inch
• 2 lbs of cubed pork, about 1/2 inch
• 2 tablespoons oil, to brown your meat
• 2 teaspoons pickling spices
• 1 cup chopped onion (preferably sweet)
• 2 (15 ounce) cansof diced stewed tomatoes
• 1 (14 ounce) bottle catsup (preferably Heinz)
• 1 (10 ounce) can tomato soup (preferably Campbells)
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon good whiskey (I use Black Jack Daniels)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in large dutch oven (large stew pot) on high heat.
Combine beef and pork and begin to brown in oil on all sides.
When meat is browned on all sides add onion; add enough water to cover the meat and onions mixture.
Tie pickling spices in a cheesecloth or, us a metal tea ball only half full.
Spices will expand while cooking.
Drop cheesecloth or teaball into meat mixture.
Simmer mixture for 45 minutes.
Add ingredients from cans, diced tomatoes, tomato soup, and catsup; stir mixture well.
Finally add all the spices as measured, the vinegar and the WHISKEY!
Turn fire or heat to a low setting and simmer for 1 hour with lid on the pot.
Check and stir frequently to prevent the bottom from scorching or burning.
THIS IS ALL GOING TO MAKE YOUR KITCHEN SMELL AWESOME AS IT SIMMERS-- After simmering for the 1 hour it is ready to serve in bowls with large spoons.
OH YEAH< TAKE OUT THE PICKLING SPICE CONTAINER AND DISCARD TO THE SINK-- Ladle out and ENJOY!
(AN OPTIONAL SERVING- Is to add 2 cups of egg noodles as you are simmering the soup till the noodles are tender. You may have to add a little more water for the noodles).

Source:

http://www.food.com/recipe/czech-goulash-the-real-thing-98364

Beef Goulash (Czech)

This recipe comes from a cookbook called Anniversary Slovak-American Cookbook, published in 1952. This goulash tastes just like the goulash I ate in Prague.

INGREDIENTS 

SERVINGS 3-4 UNITS US

• 1 1⁄2 lbs beef, cut into cubes (can also use 1/2 pound beef, 1/2 pound pork, and 1/2 veal)
• 2 tablespoons oil or 2 tablespoons fat
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1⁄2green pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons paprika (to taste)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and cook over low heat until lightly yellowed.
Add paprika and blend well. Add meat, green pepper, salt, and water.
Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Add more water if desired, although mixture should not be overly soupy when finished cooking.
Serve over hot boiled potatoes or topped with dumplings. (I use Recipe#171228).


Source:

http://www.food.com/recipe/beef-goulash-czech-171226

Dubrovnik Rožata‎

Mark, known as the Englishman in Dubrovnik is sharing with you a very traditional dessert from his adopted hometown, Dubrovnik. It’s fairly similar to crème caramel custard, and is particularly popular in the warmer summer months. Perfect for you readers in the southern hemisphere.

Mark tells me, that this dessert he is sharing with you got it’s name from a Dubrovnik liquor made from roses, which was originally used to flavour this flan like dessert. Rozata can be found on almost every menu in Dubrovnik restaurants.

Ingredients for four people (allow 1 hour from start to finish)

•     6 eggs
•     6 tablespoons of sugar
•     500 ml of milk
•     2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar
•     Grated zest of 1 lemon
•     2 tablespoons of rum
•     Caramel sauce – 8 tablespoons of sugar

Preparation

Caramel

    Firstly to make the caramel sauce add the 8 tablespoons of sugar into a pan and then place on low heat until it dissolves. Then turn up the heat until the sugar syrup takes on a golden brown colour. Do not mix the sugar during this process.
    Remove the pan from the heat and carefully spread the caramel into the ceramic serving bowls. This must be done fairly quickly as the caramel will harden very quickly…believe me! Then turn the serving bowls upside down so that the caramel slowly covers the sides and leave to cool.

Rozata

    Preheat the oven to 150°C or 300°F.
    Warm the milk in a bowl and slowly add the sugar until it dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
    Next whisk the eggs together with the two teaspoons of vanilla sugar. It’s better to use a fork or hand whisk for this as you don’t want the eggs to foam.
    Add the lemon zest and rum and gently mix.
    Now pour the milk into the mixture and slowly stir until everything is combined together.
    Pour the resulting mixture slowly through a sieve and then into the ceramic serving bowls with the caramel.
    Place the serving bowls into a deep baking tray and then add hot water to about 2/3 the height of the ceramic serving bowls.
    Bake for about 30 minutes, then carefully remove the bowls from the hot water and leave them to cool to room temperature.
    Cover the ceramic bowls with cling film and place in the refrigerator to fully chill.

When ready to serve turn the bowls upside down, the caramel sauce with flow over the Dubrovnik Rožata‎

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-cooking-expat-eats-rozata/

Orahnjača – walnut roll

I’ve eaten many walnut roll slices  – far too many. And now I have this walnut roll recipe in my Croatian cooking bag of tricks, thanks to a dear reader who kindly shared it with me, I fear I may eat many, many more….
Often served at Christmas time, but also just great on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea this walnut roll recipe is easy to make.

Walnut roll recipe

The dough

In a large mixing bowl place 1 cup of warm milk. Add 1 pkg of vanilla sugar. Add 1 tablespoon dry yeast. Let it do its thing for 10 minutes. Add 1 large egg. Add 1 tsp salt. Add 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of melted butter. Add the zest of 1 lemon and 1 tsp rum. Mix all ingredients with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Add 1.5 cups of white flour. Beat two minutes at medium speed with paddle beater. Change to a dough hook and slowly add in another 2 cups of flour.  Add the flour slowly until it pulls away from the bowl – if you need less, don’t add it all. Continue mixing for 2 more minutes. The dough will be tough but smooth. Place the dough in warm bowl, massage with 1 tsp of warm butter over dough, cover with plastic wrap a let it rise 1 to 1.5 hours until it doubles in size.

The filling

Grind 2.5 cups of walnuts. In a sauce pan warm up 1 cup of milk. Add walnuts, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp of plum jam, 1/2 a cup of raisins (optional) and zest of a lemon. Add 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Cook on low for 10 minutes until the milk is incorporated into walnuts (watch that the milk does not burn) – the mix should be thick like porridge. Add 1 tbsp rum and 2 tbsp butter. Place in large soup bowl and cool in fridge. Tip: It’s easier to spread if it’s cool.
Get ready to roll
Knock down dough, which has risen. Cut in equal halves – either use a baking scale or eye ball it if you have the skills. Roll out each piece to 20 inches (50cm) by 14 inches. (35cm). Do one roll at a time. The thinner the better. Tip The dough will fight you back as it is very elastic, so be patient.


Get ready to assemble the walnut roll

Fill each roll with half of the filling, be sure to leave 1 inch (2.5cm) on the sides and two inches (5cm) on the back seam. Roll into a sausage roll going from edge closest to you – last two inches (5cm) use a pastry brush and apply an egg yolk wash. Place roll onto a 9 x 13 pan, lined with parchment paper or butter. Repeat for the second roll. Poke both rolls all over with tooth pick. Then glaze with an egg wash. Leave uncovered and allow to rise for one hour for it to double in size.

Bake

Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 20 minutes uncovered and then 40 minutes covered with aluminium foil. Tip: covering the rolls prevents burning. You’ll know the rolls will be done with a hollow sound is heard when you knock the top of them. Allow the walnut roll to cool slightly in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm.
Note: You can freeze the second roll. Wrap tight in both cling and aluminium foil to be sure that it does not get freezer burn.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-cooking-orahnjaca-walnut-roll-recipe/

Madarica {Layered Chocolate Slice}

This dessert is a real blast from the past for me and a real hit with all the children in our family. Back in Sydney, there was a Bakery that made Madarica the absolute best. That’s right, not even my mother could measure up to this bakeries Madarica. Anytime we had a party the Madarica was purchased and all the children would scoff it down as soon as it hit the table. We love this chocolate slice and hope you do as well.

Madarica Ingredients

Madarica Cake Layers

•     600 g all-purpose flour
•     1/2 tsp baking powder
•     2 egg whites
•     220ml cream
•     150 g sugar
•     180 g butter

Madarica Filling

•     1 Litre milk
•     140 g butter
•     200 g sugar
•     200 g chocolate
•     5 tbsp all-purpose flour
•     1 tsp vanilla extract

Madarica Glaze

•     180 g chocolate
•     3 tbsp oil
•     50 g butter

Method For Making Madarica

Filling

Cook milk with sugar and vanilla until it boils. Take out a cup of milk and whisk the flour into the milk. Slowly pour in the flour and milk mixture into the boiling milk and continue to stir. Now turn down the heat and add the chocolate stir continuously until the chocolate melts and the filling thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Put it aside and let the mixture cool. It should be completely cool before using it.

Cake Layers

    Preheat oven to 180 C.
    Now you need to make a dough. Beat butter with sugar, egg whites and cream. Add sifted flour and baking powder and knead into a dough. Separate it into five equal parts and roll it out into rectangles. I usually use a cake tin as a template so I know the size and shape that I need to roll the dough. Also I also like to roll it on baking paper that way it’s easy to transfer the dough onto the baking tray. Roll the dough as thin as possible and place it on a baking tray ready for cooking.
    Bake layers one by one, each for 8-9 minutes. You want the layers to stay light in colour. Once baked put them on a flat surface and let them cool.

Glaze

Melt the chocolate with butter and oil over simmering water. When it’s well combined its ready.

Madarica Assembly

    Now it’s time to assemble the layers of the cake. First place one layer of the of the cooked dough onto a baking tray and then spread part of the filling on the cake.  Cover with the second layer of cooked dough and repeat. You need to end with the dough layer on top you can finish with the glaze. Now pour the glaze over the cake and then refrigerate overnight.
    The next day cut into small rectangles and serve.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-recipes-madarica-layered-chocolate-slice/

Croatian Easter Bread {Sirnica}

Sirnica is a traditional Croatian sweet bread made during the Easter period. At this time of year, you can find it in most bakeries and supermarkets across Dalmatia. My Aunt’s make a wonderful Sirnica every year for us all to enjoy on Easter day, so maybe you could give this recipe a go for your family to enjoy on Easter day as well. Or if you are like Mrs. CtD, you can eat this now, even though Easter is a way off this Easter bread has made its way into the bakeries and she can’t help herself but nibble at it all day.

Ingredients: Croatian Easter Bread, Sirnica

•     25 g yeast
•     3 tbsp warm milk
•     4 egg yolks
•     100 g sugar
•     1/2 tsp vanilla sugar
•     60g soft unsalted butter
•     4 tbsp sunflower oil
•     pinch of salt
•     zest of 1/2 lemon
•     zest of 1 orange
•     3 tbsp rum
•     400 g sifted all-purpose flour
•     1 1/4 cups milk
•     1 egg lightly beaten
•     3 cubes of sugar

Method: Croatian Easter Bread, Sirnica

    Place the yeast in a bowl and add the 3 tbsp of warm milk, a tsp of sugar and a tsp of flour.
    Allow the yeast to do its magic and get foamy.
    In another bowl add the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar, and butter and beat until it thickens and then add the sunflower oil and gently mix to combine.
    Now add the foamy yeast mixture, lemon and orange zest, rum, salt and flour and milk and start kneading. You need to get a soft – medium dough.
    Cover the dough and allow to rise for about an hour.
    Form 4 smaller round shaped pieces of dough, place them on a baking tray and allow to rise again until they double in size. Make sure they aren’t too close together, you don’t want them touching.
    Pre-heat your oven to 160 degree’s celsius.
    Once risen, with a sharp knife make a cross-like incision on top of each of the pieces of dough and brush with the beaten egg.
    Break up the sugar cubes so they become chunky coarse pieces of sugar and sprinkle on top of each of the Sirnica’s.
    Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-easter-bread-recipe-sirnica/

Snails – Puževi

Do you like rainy days? Up until recently rain just meant staying indoors, occupying the time by cooking or playing with the baby donkey. Waiting for the sun to come out of hiding and once again shine.

Not now, now there is a silver lining to the heavens opening up. Sometimes we even pray for rain, because that’s when the snails come out of hiding! You’re wondering why we’d care about the snails? It’s to eat them, snails are a delicious meal here in Croatia….

Collection

Once the rain has been tumbling for a few hours or a day, its time to don the wet weather gear and begin the search. It’s always best to wear a pair of gumboots and a raincoat as the fields are muddy and it often starts raining again.

Once adequately dressed,  it’s time to get out into the fields and start searching for the slippery suckers. If you want to eat snails where we live you have to collect them yourself, and you have to act fast as often there are many people out hunting for them.

The hunting process isn’t for everyone, you have to bend down and rummage through the long, itchy grass and look for just one particular kind of species. There are a number of species around, so you need a keen eye and a strong back. On average it takes about 3 hours to collect enough of the right kind of snail to feed our family of 6-10 people.

Snail preparation

Once you have your bag of snails, it’s time to hang them. You can’t eat freshly caught snail straight away, which is a little torturous in some ways. Instead, you need to place all of the snails into a mesh bag and hang them in a protected area such as from the fig tree or in your garage. It’s important to let them hang for at least 10 days and no more than 3 weeks, this is to allow enough time for the snails to excrete the gunk from their insides, out.

Lets cook

Just about the time you had forget about your snail collection, it’s time to eat them. Firstly you must give the snails a good wash in cold running water. It’s best to do this a few times, you really need to be sure that the snail gunk is washed away. Once washed, the snails bounce back to life and try to escape your clutches – fortunately, they are so slow you always have time to pick them back up and plonk them back into your bucket.
Almost done

Now it’s time to throw your snails into a large pot with plenty of sea salt & fresh cold water and bring them to the boil. The snails need to boil for a good 20-30 minutes, and then they are ready to devour.

Presentation

We serve the snails on individual plates, with a few toothpicks. These toothpicks are the perfect tool to remove the flesh from the shell.  Once the fleshy goodness is removed from the shell, we dip them onto a mix of homemade vinegar & extra virgin olive oil. Sometimes with a little pepper. An asparagus and egg salad and a chunk of freshly baked bread makes this the perfect accompanying side dish.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/snails-puzevi-esscargot/

Croatian Burek

I have made burek loads of times along with many of these other Croatian recipes. Although, I have never made burek properly & never this well. I have always wondered how to make burek like a real Croatian. Burek is made here in Croatia and also in many of the ex-Yugoslavian countries plus a bunch of other parts of the world. I have heard it referred to as bourék, byurek, pita, bourekas and cheese pie, but Croatian Burek is WAY better than any pie I have ever had.

I take my hat off and bow my head to John from He Needs Food, who is sharing this recipe for burek with you and I. John’s is an ex-chef, who lives in my old hometown of Sydney, who has a website dedicated to cooking, including Croatian recipes and tales from his travels abroad. He also has the most mouth watering photos.

Burek for those of you who do not know, is filo (phyllo) pastry filled with either cheese, meat, potato, spinach, apple…. in fact almost anything. Burek is the food you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just as a snack. It’s not exactly very healthy, but on the upside if you eat a big slice of burek, it is sure to fill you.That way you can skip your next meal. I personally never skip meals as someone once told me that’s bad for you (that’s my story and I am sticking to it) so I always find room for the next meal. But that’s a good tip for those of you who can’t skip meals.

Please do not judge me, but I have always used the store bought filo pastry when I make burek. I know, I know, it’s terrible. While my cheese burek turns our great thanks to some great tips that Mr CtD’s Baba {Grandmother} shared with me, it’s not anything like the REAL thing I buy every day as a hangover cure here in Croatia.

The thought of making the filo pastry from scratch always seemed so impossible. Many Croats I know kept telling me just how teško {hard} it is to make – so, needless to say, I avoided even trying it. But then, I stumbled upon John and his easy peasy way to make the filo pastry. Okay, it’s not as easy as unwrapping the store bought pastry, but he makes it look and sound so much better than that.  As with all of the Croatian recipes I share, there are a gazillion ways to make the same thing, but this one to me is a standout! I told John that I was scared to make the filo pastry he said that;

    Stretching the pastry is not only fun, but far from scary. You just need to be gentle!

Now I just need Mr CtD to come home from work so we can try this out for ourselves, but because there are still two weeks till that happens, I could not wait to share this with you.


What You Need For The Burek Dough Recipe (makes 2)

•     500 g plain flour
•     One tsp salt
•     300 ml water (approx)
•     vegetable oil

What You Need For The Cheese Burek Recipe

•     200g cottage cheese
•     50g fetta cheese, crumbled
•     1 lightly beaten egg
•     vegetable oil

Prepare your filling by placing both cheeses into a mixing bowl and stir through the beaten egg.
Chesse Burek | Travel Croatia Guide


 What You Need For The Meat Burek Recipe

•     1 tbsp oil
•     1 small onion (8o g) finely diced
•     250 g beef mince
•     1 small potato (80 g) diced to 5 mm pieces, blanched for 1 minute in boiling water, drained
•     1 clove garlic, finely grated
•     ½ tsp rosemary, finely chopped
•     ½ tbsp smoked paprika
•     ½ tbsp Vegeta, or salt

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft. Add the beef mince and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the potato, garlic, rosemary and paprika and keep mixing until the beef is cooked all the way through. Season with the Vegeta, or salt. Place the meat mixture into a fine sieve and set it over a large bowl or the sink, to allow any liquids to drain. Gently press it down with the back of a large spoon to speed up the draining. The mixture needs to be dry and completely cooled. Assemble and bake in the same way as the cheese burek.

Get Ready to Stretch – How to Make Burek Dough

    Preheat the oven to 200°C.
    Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the water a little at a time, mixing with your hand, until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the water.
    Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until soft and elastic. Divide into four and flatten to about 2½ cm or an inch.
    Take a bowl big enough to hold all four pieces of dough when you stack them on top of one another (I used a small saucepan).
    Pour a little vegetable oil into the bowl, place one piece of pastry into it, pour a little more oil over  it and repeat until all four are in the bowl. Pour enough vegetable oil over the top to virtually cover the stack of dough.
    Set aside for half an hour while you make the cheese or meat filling. If you have found Croatian cooking a little tricky, use this time for a stiff drink.
    To prep the work surface you need to spread a thin layer of vegetable oil all over it, so make sure you are using something like a stone bench top or laminate. Don’t go oiling up your wooden table!
    Take one disc of pastry from the oil, scrape off the oil, then place it onto your oiled work bench. With oiled hands, flatten the disc from the inside to outside until it is about 5 mm thick.
    Because the recipe is from our friend John, he asked us to link to his blog post to get the rest of the steps to make burek so go on over here to get the last steps.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-burek-recipe/

Octopus Potato Salad

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE octopus. We are fortunate enough to have access to great Adriatic octopus from our local fisherman, in fact, they are so fresh they’re often still alive when we buy them. If you’re looking for a recipe for octopus salad, look no further.

This octopus salad recipe is absolutely delish and can be a stand alone meal or a side dish. This octopus salad is a very simple dish to prepare; the only trick is cooking the octopus. You need to cook it until it becomes tender; which can take some time. Nobody wants to eat chewy octopus – am I right? You also need to purchase a medium to large size octopus – so steer clear of baby octopus for this recipe.

Ingredients For Croatian Octopus Salad

•     2.5 kg Medium or large octopus – cleaned.
•     1.5 Kg waxy potatoes
•     1 large Spanish onion, finely sliced
•     2 cloves of garlic finely diced
•     Extra Virgin Olive Oil
•     Parsley, finely chopped
•     Salt and Pepper

How to make Croatian Octopus Salad

    Take a large pot and put your octopus and potatoes, with their skins on, inside and fill it 2/3 of the way with cold water. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
    Bring the water to the boil and then simmer until the potatoes are tender. Remove the potatoes and allow to drain.
    Leave the octopus to continue to boil until it becomes tender; this can take some time, so be patient. You will need to keep checking on the octopus and may need to add more water to keep it covered in water. It will take around 45 minutes to an hour.
    Once your potatoes have cooled enough to handle them you need to remove the skins and slice the potatoes into large salad bowl. You want the potato pieces to be somewhat chunky to hold their form.
    Once the octopus is tender remove it from the water and allow to cool.
    Chop up the octopus and add to the salad bowl.
    Now add the garlic, Spanish onion and parsley and a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
    Delicately mix all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Remember to taste the salad to determine how much seasoning you need.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-cooking-octopus-potato-salad/

Dalmatian style tomato sauce {Pomodori / rajčice}

In mid August in Croatia when there are way more tomatoes (Pomodori / rajčice) than you can eat in a salad. So what do you do with the excess tomatoes? How about making tomato sauce? Not like that junk you get in a Heinz bottle, but the kind you use to make pasta and pizzas.

Just like with the cabbage planting and many other things here in Privlaka, making the sauce is a family affair. The process for making the sauce is fairly simple, but it does take some time, so it’s best enjoyed with cherry rakija (a cherry infused grappa) and a few slices of cheese from the island of Pag, just like we did.

Preparing the tomatoes

Step 1 – Pick off the vine the most ripe tomatoes. Leave behind any tomatoes which have fallen on the ground – these are no good to use.

I didn’t do this job; I did not wake up early enough.

Step 2 – Wash each tomato to ensure that any dirt and dust has been removed.

Again, not this expat. This time I blame Vladimir, he was too busy playing with them, and I was supervising.
expat cooking tomatoes red summer garden

Step 3 – Blanch the tomatoes in batches, making sure that you leave them long enough so that the skin can be peeled off. Edit: Tinica, commented below that you should mark 2 small crosses on one end of the tomatoes before blanching. it makes for easy peeling.

Ta-da, this one I helped with. I felt a bit like a school kid in my home economics class. The teacher was watching me, and even though I am totally capable of putting a tomato in a pot of hot water. I felt like I would make a mistake. Phew, no errors.

expat cooking blanch tomatoes for salsa

Step 4 – Take a small knife and peel off all of skin on each one.

Yay, me again – I’m earning some serious expat cred now. This one I was not perfect at. For some reason more meaty goodness stuck to my skin that that of my Teta (Aunty) sitting next to me. I know that she has 50+ years experience of doing this, but I wanted to make her proud.
expat vladimir with red tomatoes

Step 5 – Make several incisions in the fruit, while keeping it whole. Using your thumb remove the seeds and squeeze the majority of the tomato juice out.

Booooom, me again. Except this time, I had to keep asking the professional in the family if I was doing okay. She nodded every time, commenting odlično, meaning excellent. But I have to say; I really did not believe her one bit. Hers looked so much better than mine, so I guess what she meant was “great, given that this is your first time, and luckily we have loads more tomatoes and need your help”

Step 6 – Dice into thumbnail size pieces. Set aside, and now make your sauce base.

By this stage my hands were red, and itchy. I stepped back to admire my newfound skill, whilst sipping on my cherry rakija.

expat cooking squeeze tomatoes for salsa

Now to make the sauce.

Step 1 – Peel and dice a few onions, and fry off in some extra virgin olive oil.

Step 2 – Peel and dice a few carrots, dice several peppers/paprikas, and slice up several eggplants and add to the onions. Continue to fry until the onions are translucent and the eggplant has softened.

Step 3 – Add in the prepared tomatoes, and simmer for approx. 2 hours. Shake the pot every few mins.
expat cooking tomoato sauce dalmatian cooking

So far approx 6 batches have been made
expat cooking tomoato sauce dalmatian cooking

The freezer is FULL

Step 4 – Package into freezer containers, so you can enjoy for the next year.

    It’s the small things, but learning how to  do things like make tomato sauce or planting cabbages really makes us feel like such locals, and no the expats we are. Even though we are still such city slickers, I feel it’s a great start. You gotta start somewhere…right?

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/when-expats-make-dalmatian-tomato-sauce/

Croatian Stuffed Peppers {Punjene Paprike}

Get stuffed… whoops I mean get stuffing. There are  loads of stuffed vegetables that you’ll see dished up here in Croatia. Today you’re being served stuffed peppers or for my Aussie readers, stuffed capsicums.

Stuffed Peppers, are called Punjene Paprike in Croatian.

Stuffed Peppers are a hearty dish, of mince meat & rice. Typically served with mashed potato or sometimes rice.

    You’ll find stuffed peppers on offer in Croatia as soon as the peppers are ripe.

In our case, the vegetable garden politely made some available for picking early July.

Every Croatian I know has their own variation on this recipe, and they, of course, all claim that their way is the best way to makes them. Also, I have come to notice of my years of being in a Croat family that, people have different ways of eating them. Here are the 3 ways that I have identified.
Scoop

Scoop out the stuffing & leave behind the pepper. This to me is such a waste as the pepper becomes so soft and sweet during the cooking process.
Slice

You can slice the Pepper into sections as I do, taking turns to add some mashed potato and sauce with each mouthful.
Mash

The most popular way I have seen stuffed peppers eaten is to mash the entire plate, peppers, potatoes, sauce and all into a mushy mess. This way you can shovel the contents much more quickly into your mouth.

Have I missed a way to eat them? Let me know in the comments section below.
expat cooking stuffed peppers

I first made stuffed peppers after my Mother-in-Law gave me a cookbook of Croatian Cooking for Christmas, and over the years I have added to and changed up the recipe to my taste.
If you’re going to make them, here are some tips in advance from my kitchen to yours:

    These are even better to eat after a few hours or even the next day. I suggest you make these up on a Sunday & then you can enjoy them after a hard day at the office.
    If you’re like me and love the flavour of smoked bones, throw some into the pot when you pour in the sauce.
    Ask your butcher to freshly mince your meat for you – you’ll really taste the difference.
    Use a mix of yellow, red or green capsicums. It always looks so nice to see the different colours on the plate.
    Dig out from the back of your cupboard the largest saucepan you can find. If you don’t have one I suggest you borrow one from your neighbour. In return offer them a pepper & you’ll be friends for life. The wider the pot, the better. That way you won’t need to pile them on top of one another and they’ll be less likely to split and break.

Here is my recipe:

Take 8-10 medium sized peppers, and carefully cut out the top and set aside the as you’ll use this as a lid for the pepper later. Scoop out the insides and be sure to remove all of the seeds and any stringy pieces. Wash the lids and peppers and allow them to dry upside down on paper towel while you make the stuffing.

To make the stuffing, add the following ingredients to a large bowl and use your hands to lightly mix until combined. Make sure the bowl is big enough for you to be able to use your hands to mix it well without spilling it all over the floor (trust me, it happens).

•     1kg of minced meat. I prefer 1/2 veal and 1/2 beef
•     A generous pinch of salt and as much pepper as you like
•     1 tablespoon of smoked ground paprika
•     1 tablespoon of hot ground paprika (optional)
•     1 tablespoon of mixed dried herbs (optional)
•     1 cup of uncooked rice
•     1 egg
•     2 tablespoons of soda water or a pinch of bicarbonate soda
•     2 large cloves of chopped fresh garlic
•     1/2 cup of freshly chopped parsley (I sometimes finely dice up the smaller stems too)
•     200 grams of any finely diced speck. You can cut this back if you do not like too much of a smokey flavour.

Flip the peppers over and fill them with the stuffing until they are almost full. But do not over fill them. The rice expands during cooking and they’ll burst leaving you a hideous mess in your saucepan. Leave the lids off for the moment.

Arrange the stuffed peppers in the saucepan. It’s better if they are gently packed in so they don’t flip over & don’t squeeze them in so tight, as they’ll bust open when they expand. This may take you several minutes to do, but trust me it is well worth it at the end when your peppers are not split open.

Add in 2 bay leaves and a stick of celery. No need to chop this, as it’s just for flavour. Set aside, while you make the sauce.

In a separate saucepan on medium heat add

•     4 tablespoons of olive oil

    And fry 1 finely diced medium onion

Once onions are transparent, add in

•     2 tablespoons of flour and fry until light brown.

Add into the pan

•     2 tablespoons of tomato paste
•     2 litres of homemade stock (or water) along with a
•     Pinch of Vegeta and add salt & pepper to your taste

Stir continuously, until the sauce comes to the boil. Turn off and slowly pour over your peppers. Be sure to pour the sauce over each pepper as well as around each one. The sauce should cover the peppers. If it doesn’t, and this can happen, just add in a little more stock or water. If you are adding in smoked bones, pop them in now.

Place the top of the pepper back on, it acts like a mini lid. If you didn’t keep it, it’s okay, nothing bad will happen.

Shake the saucepan just a little, you want to be sure that the sauce is evenly spread. Bring to the boil, and then turn down to a gentle simmer. Cook for approx 2 hours, occasionally shaking the saucepan. This is important to keep the sauce evenly spread and to stop the peppers from sticking & burning. Add in more water as they cook if you need.

Once ready, allow them to cool a little. They’ll taste better if you can resist the temptation. Serve with mashed potato or rice – and if you don’t manage to eat them all in one sitting, you can keep these in the refrigerator for a few days. I can’t say how many days, as they never last that long in my house.


Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-stuffed-peppers-punjene-paprike/

Grilled fish {Riba sa žara}

This has got to be the most eaten food at our house here in Privlaka. It’s easy (no, really it is), healthy and tasty. It has the least amount of ingredients of any food that we cook, and brings the biggest smiles, from all that eat it.

Tips from our kitchen to yours

    Salt and oil. These are the two critical ingredients in making sure your grilled fish is tasty! In our Croatian village, nothing else is used, when grilling fish. And it’s got to be sea salt and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). We only eat fish on the day it has been caught, and how can you improve the flavour of a freshly caught fish?
    Select a good quality extra virgin olive oil. Try to buy local to where you are. Support your local farmers and then you also know it’s fresh.
    Buy and use only the best sea salt. We’re fortunate to live next door to Nin, which is known for great sea salt, but you can get lots in your local supermarket.

Croatian Cooking Baste with EVOO

Only use good quality EVOO when grilling fish

Choose your fish

You want to make sure each fish is no larger than plate size, and will hold well while being grilled. In Croatia we use, sardines or brancine and while living in Australia we often used silver bream, or snapper. If you’re unsure of what fish to use, I suggest you ask your fishmonger for some suggestions.

Scale and gut your fish

Leave the head on, and if you’ve had your fishmonger clean it for you, then be sure to just double check they scaled the entire fish. Especially those sections of around the head and tail. Nobody wants to be spitting out fish scales, during lunch!
Salt your fish

Be sure to salt each fish individually, inside and out.

Oil

Select your favourite EVOO, and lather your fishies in the oil. Do not be shy, or else your fish will stick to the grill.

Heat up the grill

We use a metal grill as shown in the photo below. Be sure to allow your grill to heat up over the burning wood. You want the grill to be super hot.
croatian cooking fire beer Ispod cripnje

It’s always a great idea to have a drink while waiting for the fire.

Lets Grill

Once the wood on your open grill has burned down to embers, lay down the fish. As they grill, brush over small amounts of the EVOO onto the fish.

When is the fish ready?

You only need to flip the fish one time.  If you turn the fish over too early the fish will stick. Flip them over too late and the fish will burn! As a rough guide, you want to cook the fish till it’s a golden brown. As for how many minutes this is, is very hard to say. It depends on the size of the fish & the intensity of embers. The fish below took about 7-10 minutes to be cooked. Honestly learning this part takes a few attempts until you get it 100% right.

Once the fish is done, drizzle with some fresh EVOO, and you’re ready to eat. The tastiest part is the fish cheeks, be sure to try those….

What are your tips and tricks for grilling fish? Let us know what you think in the comments section below, we’d love to learn from you.

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-grilled-fish-riba-sa-zara/

Croatian Peka for vegetarians

This Expat Eats recipe comes from the Island of Vis. Well kind of…Ispod Peke or Ispod Cripnje to some translates to under the bell, and  Croatian Peka it’s one of the most fabulous ways of cooking here in Croatia. This vegetarian option is being shared with you from Craig & Xania from Wearactive.  They live on the Croatian island of Vis & offer guided activities and accommodation in their beautifully renovated old stone house.

Some time ago, I shared our secrets for cooking Ispod Peke, no huge secret to making a great Peka but rather a skill! If the veggie option does not tickle your fancy, you can see the meaty option we served up along with other recipes in our Croatian Cooking section.
Xania says

On Vis and within Dalmatia, the Croatian ‘peka’ is everyones absolute favourite dish. A peka is a slow cooked ‘under the bell’ baked dish. The dish is prepared usually about 4 hours in advance and traditionally on Vis you will be offered lamb, fish or octopus. Because at Wearactive we provide vegetarian food for our guests, Rokis, a fantastic Vis restaurant created a veggie peka.

Oliver Roki, the owner always serves it with a huge grin, shake of the head and a passing comment about the missing flesh. We love it though and our veggie guests really enjoy a slightly adapted Dalmatian dish. Our guests that are not veggie usually come from the restaurant raving about the tasty fish and super succulent lamb!
Ispod Peka - Chasing the Donkey #Croatia

Meat or Veggie for you?

Ingredients

Veggie Croatian peka serves 4

•     2 quartered onions
•     1kg quartered potatoes,
•     3 chopped carrots
•     5 chopped garlic cloves
•     1 chopped aubergine/eggplant,
•     1 chopped courgette/zucchini
•     4 chopped tomatoes
•     drained tin of chickpeas
•     100ml white wine
•     Olive oil
•     Seasoning and a handful of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

Method

Oil the circular baking dish, add potatoes, onions and carrots, garlic and some salt and pepper. Add half of the wine and a good splash of oil. Make the fire and pre heat both sides of the ‘Peka’ (Croatian cast Iron bell) Put the baking dish inside and cover with the Peka. Add charcoal both below and above the Peka. After 1 hour add the other vegetables, chickpeas and the rest of the wine. Add more charcoal on top of Peka and cook until ready, about 45 mins. Just before serving add a handful of chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

    Serve hot with bread and a strong Red wine! We always eat the Peka with Rokis Plavac, a Vis island wine.

If you want to enjoy this dish, along with kayaking, swimming  & snorkeling on the Island of Vis, talk to Xania & Craig on their Wearactive website or Twitter and book in for some time out with them. We’d love to take the Baby Donkey over to see them this year, so we may see you there.

If you want to see what life on Vis is like, Zora their dog has this to show you…

Source:

http://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-peka/