Zaljanica

This is Croatia’s version of Spanakopita. It is easy to make and remarkably tasty.

[Note: you won’t be able to buy fresh cheese in the U.S. I have it on good authority. The recommended substitutions is a combination of cottage cheese, cream cheese, and feta, which feta added in smaller proportion since it is very strongly flavored. (Thanks Luka!)]

Zaljanica

½ kilogram spinach
½ kilo fresh cheese
1 package phyllo dough
5 eggs
8 oz sour cream
2 deciliters yogurt
1 deciliters oil
1-2 deciliters mineral water
½ packet baking powder (approx 1 Tablespoon)
2 small spoons salt

mix all ingredients except phyllo dough
set one sheet phyllo dough aside
tear remaining phyllo dough into small pieces and soak thoroughly in mixture
place soaked dough in a greased oven dish
pour any remaining liquid over dough
cover in reserved phyllo sheet
poke holes in top sheet with a toothpick

let the dish rest for half an hour

cover the top sheet with oil and place it in a 200 degree Celsius oven for 1 hour
after ½ hour, cover the top with sour cream

It is amazingly tasty and very simple to make and will feed a large crowd.

Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Jadoga Plačko

Croatian Cuisine: an overview

Croatia is a small country--only 21,831 square miles. If it were a U.S. state, it would be ranked 42nd in size, between West Virginia and Maryland. However, the country is far more diverse than its size would suggest.

The country is shaped like a giant letter "C".

The northeast part of the country, around the cities of Osijek and Slavonski Brod, is known as Slavonia. This region is largely agricultural and is fairly similar in landscape to the Midwest. The cuisine there is heavily influenced by the neighboring countries: Hungary, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the region with the spiciest food. Paprika, cream, meat, and river fish are common ingredients in the cooking.

The central region, around Zagreb, is more heavily influenced by Germanic and Italian cooking styles. Pasta dishes, cream, meats, and cheeses are all common parts of cooking.

The coastal region, known as Dalmatia, is heavily influenced by Italy and the Mediterranian climate. There is a lot of regional variation. The peninsula in the north, Istra, is especially heavily influenced by Italy. Seafood, olive oil, figs, and pasta are all common throughout Dalmatia.

There are some commonalities across all the regions: breads, wines, and homemade spirits known as rakija are common to all regions. Many of the dishes I will be sharing can be found in more than one region, although sometimes in modified versions or with different names.

Because I've just spend three months living in Slavonia and learning about Slavonian cooking, most of my early recipes will be from that region. This spring, I will be living in Dalmatia and will write more about the cuisine there.

a note on measurements

You will notice the measurements in these recipes are not always precise. I'm collecting these recipes from many people who don't use cookbooks or recipes. They've made these a thousand times and just know how much to add. Generally, if it says "spoon," this is a heaping tablespoon. If the recipe says "small spoon," this is a teaspoon.

Also, many of the measurements will be metric--grams or liters. Croatia uses the metric system, so U.S. measurements like "cup" and "teaspoon" are not common. I've included a measurement converter in the sidebar to help.

Šnenokle

Šnenokle (SHNAY-no-clay), or "snow dumplings" are an egg-based dessert that is traditional in Slavonia (northeast Croatia). The dumplings are made of beaten egg whites, which are then placed in a thin pudding made from the egg yolks. It is a very tasty dessert which is actually fairly low on sugar.

Šnenokle
7 eggs, separated

beat egg whites until firm

on stove, heat 1.5 liters of milk to boiling
spoon in egg whites (dumplings should be the size of a fist)
[hint: wet the spoon between dumplings so the egg whites don't stick]
cover the dumplings with hot milk
put enough dumplings in to cover the surface of the pot
turn up the heat until the dumplings puff up (about 2 min)
turn down the heat and remove the dumplings to pudding cups or a large bowl
repeat until all the egg white is used up

mix:
egg yolks
10 spoons milk
3-4 spoons cream of wheat or grits
5-6 spoons sugar
vanilla to taste
[optional: cinnamon, orange, or other flavorings can be used]

add egg yolk mix to boiling milk
cook around 7 minutes until the texture thickens
[note: this is thinner than traditional pudding]
pour milk mixture over dumplings
[optional: sprinkle with grated chocolate, fruit, or cinnamon]

This should be eaten very cold

Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Jagoda Plačko

Welcome!

One of my favorite things about traveling is trying out new foods. It's a great way to experience a culture. I've been living in Croatia for over a year now and have had a chance to live in most of the regions in Croatia. The variety of food here is amazing and I'm enjoying sampling all of it.

Lately, I've been having lessons in Croatian cooking from friends, acquaintances, and random Croatian grandmothers. It has been a lot of fun, and I thought it was time to start sharing my culinary experiences with everyone back home.

I'll be posting recipes, cooking tips, stories and lots of pictures. Enjoy!