My Mum's Celebratory Sponge Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Cream Recipe

July 30, 2024 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, All year round recipe, baked dish, baking, celebratory desserts, Celebratory dish, easy baking, easy cakes, Easy recipe, festive bakes, festive dessert, festive dish, festive sweet things, pudding, simple recipe, sweet course, patisserie

A classic simple sponge made with eggs, sugar and flour with no use of butter, filled with fresh whipped cream and fresh seasonal strawberries, a true classic celebratory cake that is difficult to beat. It is perfect for spring/summer birthdays and for all other summer special occasions, it is a top favourite with all ages.

This cake is delicious in taste with the lightest and fluffiest sponge; beautiful and elegant in its appearance, it looks like it has just come from the patisserie shop and yet could not be simpler to make.

With a few ingredients and a few simple steps you will impress your family and friends, and they will ask you for the recipe before they leave!

This celebratory cake would accompany all my childhood and my adulthood birthdays, baked exclusively by my mother.

In Slovenian Istra this type of sponge, refereed by the locals in the dialect as”Pandišpanija” (Pan di Spagna, translates literally as Spanish Bread) was the first form of the most simple celebratory cake, it was simply dusted with the sugar on the top and baked for special occasions like weddings. It is believed to originate during Napoleon's reign (19th century), and was first used in Croatian side of Istra, and then to then spread into a Slovenian part. Only later this type of sponge was cut horizontally in half and filled with different types of cream which resembles more to a modern concept of celebratory cake.

She would bake this type of cake for every birthday in the family and for her special friends, changing the fruits a bit to reflect the seasons. Peaches work very well and, in the winter, when the selection of fresh fruit is limited, she would use different types of tinned fruit which works amazingly well, the syrup from the tin was used to spoon the disc of the sponge.

No one will ever get fed up with this celebratory cake, we never had to struggle with any leftovers, bake it and see for yourself!

I am sharing the recipe for this special cake to remember and to honour my mother who recently died, so her legacy for this celebratory cake can live on for years to come.

Recipe

Ingredients

For the Sponge

4 eggs (room temperature)
4 Tbsp cold water
200g icing sugar
1 Tsp vanilla extract or 1 sachet of vanillin powder (very widely used in continental Europe baking)
150g all purpose flour, sifted
8g baking powder, sifted

For the filling and topping

400g fresh strawberries, washed, pat dried and halved or quartered (reserve 100g fresh strawberries to decorate the top of the cake)
2 Tbsp caster sugar (can use less or more depending on the taste and the sweetness of the strawberries)
2 Tbsp water
300ml fresh double cream, cold
2 Tbsp caster sugar or to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180º static.

Lightly grease (I used butter) a 22cm (9in) loose-bottomed cake tin or spring form round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.

Separate the egg whites and the yolks. Put the egg whites in a big clean bowl and the egg yolks in a small cereal type of bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly with the fork.

Add 4 table spoons of cold water into a bowl with egg whites and start whisking with the hand whisker.

During the whisking start gradually adding, one spoon at a time of icing sugar and keep whisking until the egg whites become stiff and firm but not dry.

Add vanilla extract and egg yolks and mix well until fully incorporated.

My Mum's Celebratory Sponge Cake with fresh strawberries and cream 8.jpg

My Mum's Celebratory Sponge Cake with fresh strawberries and cream 9.jpg

Slowly and gradually start adding sifted flour together with baking powder.

Gently fold until thoroughly blended, do not mix with the hand mixer as you want to keep all the air inside the mixture which will make the cake incredibly soft and fluffy.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until golden in colour, well risen and the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.

While the cake is baking prepare the strawberries for the filling. Wash and pat dry 300g of strawberries, cut the smaller strawberries in half and the bigger ones in quarters. Place them in the bowl, add 2 table spoons of caster sugar (or to taste) and two table spoons of water.

Mix well and leave the strawberries to macerate, put aside until needed.

Filter the strawberries, put them in a sieve and collect the juices.

Leave the sponge to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then remove from the tin and peel off the baking parchment.

Finish cooling on a wire rack.

When the sponge is completely cool, take a sharp knife and cut the cake horizontally in half so you obtain two discs.

Place the bottom disk of the sponge on a cake stand of your choice.

Take fresh double cream from the fridge and pour it into a mixing bowl. Start whisking with the hand whisker.

During the whisking start adding caster sugar and whisk until the cream becomes stiff enough to be able to spread it on the cake.

Spoon strawberry juices over a bottom disk of the sponge.

Spread roughly 1/3 of whipped cream.

Then arrange the macerated strawberries over the disc to completely cover it.

Place the second disk of the sponge on the top.

Spread the rest of the cream on the top and on the sides of the cake.

Decorate to your liking the top of the cake with fresh strawberries, sliced or left whole.

Dust with a bit of icing sugar if desired and serve.

Just a thought

This cake must be eaten on the day of filling. You can prepare the sponge a day ahead, cool it completely and store it in an airtight container until the following day when is ready to be filled and decorated.

You can use tinned fruit of your choice instead of fresh strawberries. Make sure you reserve the syrup and use it to spoon over the bottom disc of the sponge as described in the recipe.

German style Preserved Fruit in Rum (Rumtopf) Recipe

Beans and Sardines

October 04, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Austrian inspired dishes, celebratory desserts, Central European recipes, dessert, Easy recipe, festive dessert, festive sweet things, Istrian cuisine, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, Mitteleuropean recipes, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Sweet Things

Rum-soaked fruit originated in Germany, where it is known as Rumtopf. It is a very simple recipe that consists in preserving seasonal fruit in sugar and rum, leaving it to mature for a few weeks, and then it is ready to be enjoyed.

Specialized ceramic rum pots (if keen to have one, they are available in specialized kitchen shops or online) are used to make this alcoholic dessert in countries with a strong Rumtopf making tradition, alternatively glass jars are used.

You can have rum soaked fruit on its own or create a more “sophisticated” dessert by serving rum preserved fruit with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or custard, you can also pair it with a piece of cake or other sweet treats like pancakes or waffles.

You can also divide rum soaked fruit into smaller glass jars which makes a lovely foodie Christmas gift for your friends, family, work colleagues or neighbours.

It is believed that rum was imported to Europe, more specifically to Germany, in 18th century by a West Indies fleet, which traded with Virgin Islands, and was based in the German city of Flensburg, bordering with Denmark, and from here rum travelled to other European countries.

Together with rum, tropical fruit was also transported, but did not travel very well. Apparently, some of the fruit ended up by accident into the rum filled barrels, the fruit remained well preserved and perfectly edible, and this is how the Rumtopf was born.

This German style of preserving fruit in rum also spread to other European countries, among which Austria and Italy. In the latter it is also very common to soak the fruit in grappa (an Italian style grape based pomace brandy) rather then in rum.

This delightful liquor-based dessert became also very popular in Slovenia, where it is known as Rumov Lonec, meaning literally Rum Pot, and this comes as no surprise as Slovenia is geographically bordering with Italy and Austria, and was also ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the gastronomic influence is therefore inevitable.

As a child I have very vivid memories of my mother preparing Rumtopf every year, it used to be very in “fashion”. I am bringing it back as this rum-based dessert is delicious, very easy to make, and it will be ready to use when you are.

This recipe starts at the beginning of the summer and is finished by late September, or early October, traditionally is then enjoyed for the very first time when the Advent begins, and it is offered all the way through the entire holiday season.

Fruits during this period have time to mingle and develop their flavour, they soak up the rum, and the rum also absorbs all the fruity flavours, losing their previous sharp, alcoholic flavour, and start to taste more like a fruity liquor.

For this alcoholic treat I chose the type of fruits that my mother used for her Rumtopf. The idea behind this recipe is to use seasonal fruit that you can buy in the store, farmer's market, or pick from your garden or orchard. These days, of course, things are a bit different, you and can just walk to the supermarket any time of the year and find all types of fruits all year round from around the world, sometimes with little idea what it is in season and what isn't.

If you want to impress yourself and your guests this holiday season, give this recipe a go, and since it is prepared ahead of time it will take away all the stress. However, do remember that as much as the sugary fruit is tempting, this is not a child-friendly dessert, and avoid offering it to people that need to abstain from any alcohol consumption.

Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 1.5 litre jar

1 kg fruit (I used strawberries, cherries, peaches, nectarines, red grapes, pears and apples)

Whatever fruit you choose make sure it is fresh, seasonal, undamaged with no rot or mould and nicely ripe but equally not overripe.

You can choose more exotic varieties of fruit like kiwi, mango, papaya and pineapple, and go for a tropical theme (try to avoid bananas and maybe raspberries and melons or other fruits that could go a bit mushy, and oranges and lemons as too acidic).

Just to give you an idea, here is the list of fruits you can use according to different months of the year.

May, June, July

strawberries (wash, remove stems and leaves, pat dry with kitchen paper and cut in half bigger berries)
cherries with pits (wash and pat dry)
peaches, nectarines and apricots (wash, blanch, peel and cut into bite size pieces)

August, September, October

blueberries (wash and pat dry)
plums with pits (wash and pat dry)
apples (wash, pat dry, peel, core and cut into bite size pieces)
pears (wash, pat dry, peel and cut into bite size pieces)
white or red seedless grapes (wash, pat dry, remove stems and cut in half)
pineapple, peeled and cut into bite size chunks (you can use canned pineapple)
200-250g granulated sugar (a general rule in terms of sugar quantity used for a rum pot would be half the amount of sugar compared to the total amount of fruit used, I however used a lot less sugar as the fruit was nicely ripe and sweet enough for my taste).
about 1 bottle (750ml) Dark rum (I used 37.5% alcohol) you might need a bit more

If using more fruit to make a bigger Rum Pot, make sure you adjust the quantity of sugar and rum.

Method

For the rum pot you would use the fruits according to the seasons, starting with first strawberries and cherries following with other fruits.

Wash, pat dry and cut the fruits of your choice.

Place prepared fruit into a bowl, sprinkle with a bit of sugar and let it sit for about 30 minutes. This will allow the fruits to release its own juices.

Place the layer of sugared fruit into a jar and pour the rum over in order to completely cover the fruit. Continue to add a layer of sugared fruit and each time pour enough rum to completely cover the fruit.

(alternatively you can add a layer of prepared fruit directly into a rum pot or glass jar, add a bit of sugar and fill the jar with rum to completely cover the fruit. Continue to add a layer of fruit and sugar and each time pour enough rum to completely cover the fruit).

Close the jar with the lid.

Leave the flavours to mature and mingle for 6 to 8 weeks, or longer, in dark and cool place with no source of heat or light (pantry, cellar, garage).

Make sure the fruit is submerged in rum at all times, check now and again and top up with rum as necessary. Wait at least 2-3 weeks after the last fruit was added to be able to enjoy it.

You can also divide rum soaked fruit into smaller glass jars which would make a lovely foodie Christmas gift for your friends, family, work colleagues or neighbours.

Sweet Dough Yeasted Rings (Busolai) Recipe

Beans and Sardines

May 31, 2023 by tina oblak in All year round recipe, baked dish, baking, biscuits, breakfast, brunch, celebratory desserts, Celebratory dish, cookies, dessert, Easter, Easter recipes, easy baking, Easy recipe, Enriched dough, festive bakes, festive dessert, festive sweet things, home baking, Istrian cuisine, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, recipe from Northern Ital, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian Easter Sweet Br, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Snacks, Sweet bread, sweet course, sweet nibbles, Sweet Things

Busolai (also spelled Bussolai or Buzolai) are sweet treats that originate in the region of Veneto in north-east Italy. They are characteristic of Venice, and in particular on the fishermen island of Burano, hence these baked delights are also called Buranei (Burano buiscuits).

They are known as biscuits as they have the consistency of a biscuit, the dough does not contain the yeast, and it can be shaped into a ring or like the letter “S” (not a coincidence, since the S-shaped form of the biscuits makes it easier to dunk into milk or sweet wines).

They used to be only prepared and enjoyed during Easter festivities but nowadays almost every bakery on the island of Burano and in Venice sells them all year round.

Apparently, the letter from the Government of Venice, which still exists, has been found in the national archives of Italy, warning the nuns of the convent of St. Matthew on an island in the Venetian Lagoon that they should cut the number of Bussolai enjoyed during Easter festivities or otherwise they would encounter financial troubles.

The recipe for these biscuits, however, travelled further east, through the region of Friuli, and reached the city of Trieste (in Italy), and the land of Slovenian Istria across the “border”, where the recipe took a slightly different turn

The yeast was added to the dough making these baked goodies resemble more like soft doughnuts than the cookies, in fact, in the area they are described by the locals as sweet bread rings (obročki iz sladkega kruha).

As soon as they were freshly baked, it was a custom of some locals to spoon a bit of rum or grappa over them and sprinkle them with extra sugar.

Being like biscuits or doughnuts, they have one unmistakable characteristic in common, they have a hole in the centre, called “busa” in Venetian dialect”, hence their name, Busolai.

To make things more confusing in terms of naming this sweet treat, busolai are sometimes known as “kolach”, name originated from Old Slavonic word kolo meaning “wheel” or “circle”.

Once again, they were baked during festivities, especially during Easter since a great percentage of eggs are used in the recipe (egg representing the symbol of rebirth and resurrection).

These sweet baked rings were traditionally very popular during Confirmation (a rite in the Christian Church, at which baptized persons affirm their Christian belief, and are admitted as a full member of the Church).

Busolai were made into a garland with the use of a simple string and the godfather would gift these to his god child. This is described by a very well know and famous proverb in local dialect “Chi ga santoli ga buzzolai” (only the one who has a godfather will get busolai).

This tradition would be furthermore highlighted by another proverb in the local dialect “Bezi, basi e bussolai no i xe boni se no I xe assai,” which translates in standard Italian as (Soldi, baci e bussolai non sono buoni se non sono assai), and in English means that money, kisses and bussolai are no good if not given in abundance.

My husband’s uncle (known as zio Livio) with a garland of bussolai received on his Confirmation day by his godfather

This custom used to be very popular in Slovenian Istra, and almost each village would have a slightly different recipe for it. I am sharing with you my nona's recipe from the village of Marezige, a few kilometres from a coastal town of Koper where there used to be only one baker in town, at the time when my nona was a little girl, selling busolai, run by a family of Venetian origin.

Very sadly, there are no bakers selling busolai anymore, moreover, the custom of godfathers gifting the children with busolai has completely died out, and younger generations have never seen or heard of busolai.

Only a bunch of elderly people still alive today will tell you, with nostalgic voices and tearful eyes, with touching and emotional stories about their Confirmation Day, and they very much anticipated sugar coated busola, the only gift they received, if they were lucky enough.

Recipe

Ingredients

500g regular plain flour
1 cube of fresh (brewer's) yeast 42g or 14g of dry yeast
100g unsalted butter, melted
150g sugar
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
100ml tepid lukewarm milk (semi skimmed or full fat)
2 Tbsp dark rum or grappa (alcoholic, fragrant grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin)
finely grated lemon zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
pinch of sea salt
1 small egg, lightly beaten, for glazing (can use lightly beaten egg whites, the busolai will result lighter in colour after baking)

Method

In a small bowl place dry or fresh yeast (if using fresh yeast slightly brake it down into smaller pieces with your fingers).

Add 100ml of lukewarm milk and ¼ tsp of caster sugar.

Gently stir and leave for about 20 minutes or until gentle bubbles form on the surface.

In a separate mixing bowl put the eggs, egg yolks and beat them gently.

Add melted butter, sugar, rum or grappa, grated lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt, and with the fork mix well all the ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl put the flour, add egg mixture and the yeast mixture.

Combine well all the ingredients with the wooden spoon or spatula to start with. When all the ingredients are well combined transfer the mixture onto a clean, floured surface.

Work with your hands and knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes, stretching it and folding it, adding a little flour at the time if the dough is too sticky.

Knead the dough until it becomes smooth, soft, shiny and elastic (the dough should not stick to the surface or your hands).

Shape the dough in a ball, place it back into a previously oiled mixing bowl.

Cover tightly with cling film, leave to rest and prove in a draft free space at a room temperature for 3 hours.

After this time your dough should be at least double in size.

Line 2 large flat baking trays with baking parchment.

Take the dough out of the mixing bowl, place it on a working surface, knock the air out of the dough and shape it into a log.

Divide the dough into more or less equal parts (10-12 parts each weighting roughly 100g).

Shape each piece of the dough into a sausage and form a ring, pinching the ends together (make sure you are generous with the size of the ring, during the baking the busalai rise and stretch quite a bit, if the whole is too small, after the baking you will end up with busolai that have almost a non-existing hole, not that this is really a problem).

Place your ring-shaped sweet dough onto a tray.

Cover with clean tea towel and leave to prove for the second time for about 30 minutes.

Gently brush the sweet dough rings with lightly beaten egg or egg whites and sprinkle the top of the rings with sugar.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 20 to25 minutes or until well risen and deep golden brown (they will be slightly lighter in colour if you brush them with egg whites).

Remove from the oven and transfer the busolai to a wire rack to cool completely.

Busolai are best eaten within a few hours.

You can easily freeze them, just make sure you freeze them as soon as they are completely cool.

Wine suggestion

Vin Santo di Torgiano DOC 2010 - Lungarotti

Easter Sweet Plaited Bread (Tičice) Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

April 07, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, baking, breakfast, brunch, celebratory desserts, Celebratory dish, child friendly dish, dessert, Easter, Easter recipes, Easter treats, easy baking, Easy recipe, Enriched dough, festive bakes, festive dessert, festive sweet things, home baking, Istrian cuisine, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, Rustic dish, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian Easter Sweet Br, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Spring recipe, Sweet bread, sweet course, sweet finger food, sweet nibbles, Sweet Things

This celebratory sweet bread is similar to Jewish Challah, and is very flavoursome, soft and fluffy. It is made with yeasted enriched dough, and is shaped into a plait (or braid), and decorated with hard boiled eggs. It is very popular and traditionally baked during Easter festivities in Slovenian and Croatian Istra, Dalmatia (in Croatia) and in neighbouring Trieste in Italy and its surrounding areas.

It is best eaten fresh straight away, on its own with tea, coffee, or sweet wine, or paired with, as is traditionally the case, with cooked ham, and a selection of cheeses or cold dry cured meats. It is equally very delicious toasted the following day with some butter or jam.

This traditional recipe for sweet bread can be distinguished from other recipes for sweet bread across Europe by the addition of dark rum or grappa in the dough for extra flavour, and by the quantity of eggs used. This makes the bread have a heavier and slightly denser texture and richer taste, but this also means that it also requires a longer proofing time.

The eggs in the bread have symbolic significance in Christianity. Eggs represent new birth, new life, and are a reminder of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. Traditionally, new converts to Christianity were baptised on Easter Sunday, representing their new birth in the faith, and new life in the Church. During the Middle Ages eggs were also a real treat to eat on Easter Sunday since they were forbidden during Lent, the 40 days of fasting before Easter.

Most of the time every household back home would bake two kinds of bread: the dough would be divided in half, and one kind is pinca bread, and is shaped like a regular round type of bread, but with cross-shaped incision on the top (representing Christ’s Crucifixion), and the other kind of bread, using the other half of the dough, is tičice, the braided variation with a hard boiled egg.

I am sharing here the recipe for this very traditional Easter sweet bread that has been made in my family for generations, it will make your holiday even more special!

Recipe

Method

This recipe will make 2 braided breads.

To make sweet bread plait, follow the recipe for basic sweet bread (pinca).

After the dough has risen and doubled in volume, remove it from the bowl.

Tip it onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in half.

Divide one half of the dough into 3 equal parts (cover the other half of the dough with the tea towel to prevent it from drying).

Roll each piece of the dough into 3 logs.

Join and pinch the ends of all 3 logs together to start shaping them into a braid.

Pinch the opposite end of the braided dough together.

Place it on a baking tray previously lined with baking parchment.

Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.

Decorate the plait with hard boiled eggs (you can use the eggs previously decorated and dyed, see my recipe how to decorate and dye the eggs, Easter Eggs Dyed with Onion Skins Recipe). Place hard boiled eggs at the end part of the braid, pressing down a bit, almost creating a little nest where the egg can sit.

Brush both plaits with the egg whites.

Allow braided loaf to rise in warm, draft free, room for about 1 hour.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for about 30 minutes, tent it with the aluminium foil halfway through if the top starts browning too much.

Once baked, take from the oven.

Transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool a bit.

Best served fresh still a bit warm.

Just a thought

Best eaten freshly baked on the same day.

Store leftover sweet bread in an airtight container for up to three-four days.

You can toast the slices and enjoy them with butter, jam, peanut or almond butter or use it to make French toast or bread and butter pudding, delicious!

Wine suggestion

Fior d'arancio Colli Euganei Spumante Dolce DOCG 2021 - Alla Costiera

Carnival Sweet Crackers Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

February 15, 2023 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, baking, bite-sized nibbles, breakfast, celebratory desserts, Celebratory dish, dessert, Easy recipe, Enriched dough, festive bakes, festive dessert, festive dish, festive sweet things, Finger food, Istrian gastronomy, Pastry, pudding, Rustic dish, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Snacks, sweet finger food, sweet nibbles, Sweet Things

These delicate, fragile, irresistible and crispy pastries are traditionally associated with Carnival (Pust in Slovenian), and they are super tasty, so light and flaky that they just simply melt in your mouth.

They have a deep connection with Christian, especially Catholic, liturgical festivities like the Carnival season, the time of the year in which eating in excess, and gastronomic indulgence was allowed by the Church before the start of fasting and austerity during Lent, culminating with the Easter celebrations.

To make this crumbly sweet dessert is very easy, sweet dough is rolled out very thinly, it then gets very quickly fried, and it is during the frying process that this wafer thin rectangles of pastry contort into the strangest shapes. When they cool down completely they get covered in a generous dusting of icing sugar to delight children and grown-ups alike.

Together with fritole and jam filled doughnuts they are a very common sight in the pastry shop windows offering to by-passers a very cheerful Carnival atmosphere.

There are many different names for these sweet wafer-like treats throughout Italy, bugie in Piedmont, frappe or sfrappole in Emilia, cenci and donzelle in Tuscany, chiacchiere and lattughe in Lombardy to name just a few.

It is believed that they originated in the region of Veneto, where they are known as Galani or Crostoli, although their origin is being disputed and other Italian regions have claimed the credit for them.

On the coastal part of Slovenian Istra, once being part of what was called, “The most Serene Republic of Venice,” these sinfully delicious and and fragrant little delights are almost a symbol of the Carnival season, and are called, and known by the locals as hroštole, hroštule or krhki flancati in standard Slovenian.

Traditionally, they are made in quite large quantities as they are meant to last for the whole period of Lent, you will find them in rectangular shapes, but the strips of dough can be cut in different shapes like diamonds or squares, you can cut thinner strips and make knots (bows) or create rafioi (or rafioji) folded like ravioli biscuits that use jam or preserve as a filling.

These sweet Carnival temptations have been part of my life. My nona used to make them every year in huge quantities, and I am sharing here her recipe, and her little secret, she adds a bit of single cream to the dough mixture...

Recipe

Ingredients

250g all purpose flour (white plain flour)
3 egg yolks (room temperature), lightly beaten
2 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp dark rum or grappa (can use Marsala, brandy or similar)
finely grated lemon zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
2Tbsp lemon juice
50g sugar (caster or granulated)
pinch of sea salt
vanilla icing sugar or plain icing sugar, for dusting, to serve
oil for frying

Method

Sift the flour in a fairly large mixing bowl and add lightly beaten egg yolks, milk, rum or grappa, finely grated lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and a pinch of sea salt.

Mix well with the fork to incorporate all the ingredients, then gather with your hands to form a fairly firm dough.

Adjust the wetness of the dough by either adding a little flour at the time if the dough is too wet, and on the contrary, gradually adding a bit of milk if the dough is too dry.

Transfer the dough onto a working surface and work the pastry mix quite intensely for about 10-15 minutes. You should end up with a smooth and elastic dough that does not stick to your hands or the surface, it should be firm, bur fairly soft to the touch.

Shape it into a ball and wrap in cling film and leave it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, ideally about 1 hour.

Divide the dough into smaller portions (about 150g).

If you have a pasta machine, this is the time to use it, alternatively a rolling pin will do the job just fine.

With the palm of your hand flatten slightly the first portion of the dough.

Sprinkle with a little bit of flour and roll it out with the pasta machine to the widest thickness.

Fold the short sides of the sheet of dough towards the centre.

Continue to roll the sheet of dough using an increasingly thinner setting on the pasta machine each time.

Stop rolling when you reach the last and the thinnest setting, and the dough sheet reaches the thickness of about 2mm.

Repeat the process with the remaining portions of the dough.

If you are using rolling pin, roll each portion of the dough to the thickness of a coin, roughly 2mm.

Using a knife or a pastry (cutting) wheel, cut the rolled sheets of dough into rectangles (about 5 x 10 or 2-inch x 4-inch).

Make a couple of incisions in the middle of each strip (parallel to the long side on each one).

This will help the sweet crackers to expand during frying.

Strips of dough can be cut in different shapes, you can cut thinner strips and make knots (bows).

You can also create rafioi (or rafioji) folded like ravioli biscuits (to make these, you do not want your pastry to be rolled out too thin). Cut out circles (size of your preference). Place a dab of jam or preserve of your choice in the centre of each circle, fold in half. Pinch well to close and fry.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, bring it to the temperature of 170° C.

When the oil reaches the right temperature, place 2-3 (this will depend on the size of your frying pan) rectangles of the dough into the oil.

Fry them turning them on both sides until they are golden brown.

With the help of slotted spoon or a skimmer remove the crackers.

Place them on a tray or a big plate previously lined with kitchen paper allowing to drain.

Allow to cool completely, sprinkle with plenty of icing sugar.

Pile them in criss-cross layers on a plate and serve.

They are very fragile so be careful not to break them.

And be mindful of the fact that when you eat them you will be, almost inevitably, covered slightly in a bit of crumbs and icing sugar, is all part of the experience, it is Carnival after all!

Just a thought

These sweet Carnival crackers are best enjoyed as soon as they are made.

They can be stored for about 2-3 days in an airtight containers.

Almond Brittle Istrian Recipe

Beans and Sardines

December 19, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, bite-sized nibbles, celebratory desserts, Celebratory dish, Central European recipes, Christmas bakes, Christmas dish, dessert, Easy recipe, festive dessert, Festive dish, festive sweet things, Finger food, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, simple recipe, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy

This crunchy brittle, packed with delicious roasted almonds, is a classic festive sweet treat, and together with candied almonds, are a very common sight at Christmas markets.

Handcrafted almond brittle is a very old recipe, very easy to make, using just a few basic ingredients, and it can make a lovely homemade gift for your foodie friends and family. Small brittle pieces can be served with coffee at the end of a meal, and it is great for topping the desserts since it makes them a little bit extra special.

Almond brittle is worth having in a pantry during a holiday season together with some good quality vanilla ice cream or gelato. Just put some brittle in a food processor and pulse it to the desired consistency. Sprinkle and scatter over the ice cream, and this humble and rustic brittle will turn your ice cream into a very elegant and festive dessert.

The coast of Slovenian Istra, where I come from, is blessed with a Mediterranean climate that allows almond trees to thrive and they are commonly found in people's gardens.

Almonds get harvested in autumn, then stored and used during winter month and especially during the holiday season. In fact, my 96 year old nona tod me that when she was a child, almond brittle and sugar coated almonds were a very special treats children were given during the festive season, in particular on Christmas Eve and on Christmas day.

I am sharing here a basic and most traditional recipe for almond brittle, how my nona's mother used to make, just using sugar and a bit of lemon juice.

Like most of the traditional recipes, this one has many variations, and you can “modernize” it and give a little twist, by adding ground cinnamon, orange juice instead of lemon juice, lemon or orange zest and a bit of honey.

Recipe

Ingredients

250g peeled or unpeeled almonds or a mixture of both (you can use any other type of nuts you like or a combination of them according to your preference)
250g caster sugar
1Tbsp lemon juice
2Tbsp water

Method

Before you start with the recipe I suggest you have all the ingredients and the tools ready. Once the sugar mixture turns into a caramel, you need to be very fast as the caramel hardens quite quickly and becomes difficult to work with.

Toast the nuts first for a few minutes either in a non stick frying pan or in the oven at 160C static or equivalent for about 10 minutes, by arranging the nuts in a single layer on a baking tray.

When lightly toasted, cool the nuts down a bit and set aside.

While the nuts are toasting prepare the surface where you are going to transfer your caramel almond mixture later on.

Brush with oil either a marble slab (marble kitchen top) or a piece of parchment paper.

Put the caster sugar, lemon juice and water in a non stick pan. Let the sugar melt into a syrup, do not stir, but you can give the pot a very gentle shake once the sugar starts to melt. When it reaches the amber colour (light golden brown) your caramel is ready.

For the following stage you need to work fast, as the caramel cools down very quickly and therefore hardens.

Add the nuts to the caramel, stir and mix quickly so all the nuts are well coated.As soon as the nuts are fully coated, remove immediately from the heat, this process should be fairly fast. Do not leave on the stove for too long, to the point of the sugar getting too dark, burning it could potentially result in a slight bitter aftertaste when eating the brittle.

Tip the coated nuts either on a lightly oiled marble work top (if you have it), non stick baking tray or on an oiled sheet of baking parchment.

Level and compact the brittle with oiled back of a ladle, big serving spoon or similar.

Let it cool a bit and then cut or break into pieces.

Just a thought

You can prepare almond brittle days in advance and keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dark and dry place. You can place layers of baking parchment between the brittle to avoid sticking.

To clean the pan with the solidified caramel, just add the water and bring to boil, the sugar will just simply melt in no time.

Traditional Istrian Fig Strudel made from sweet yeast dough Recipe

Beans and Sardines

October 12, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, baked dish, baking, breakfast, celebratory desserts, dessert, easy baking, Enriched dough, festive bakes, festive dessert, festive sweet things, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, Rustic dish, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Snacks, summer dish, summer recipe, Sweet bread, sweet course, sweet finger food, sweet nibbles, Sweet Things

This rustic bake is one of the most traditional and authentic sweet treats in the cuisine of Slovenian Istra, it is called by the locals kvašen štrudelj s figami or kvašen štrukelj s figami, and it is made from soft, brioche like sweet yeast dough and fig filling.

It is usually baked towards the end of summer and early autumn, when the figs are in abundance, and although fig filling is the most common and most traditional, other fruits can be used like apples, pears or plums, and different type of nuts can be added too.

This sweet fig log is a bit of a “gastronomic hybrid”, it looks like a strudel in a way that is rolled into a log like a strudel, but it is made from yeast dough, resembling quite strongly, in terms of flavour, to the dough that is used to make a traditional Slovenian nut roll, Potica.

This sweet bake used to be prepared and offered for special occasions as a dessert at the end of a big meal, and given to children as a snack and a special treat. Nowadays, it is also eaten for breakfast and offered with tea and coffee, but it is not commonly found in the restaurants and almost exclusively baked in the household.

Istrian cuisine is a no waste cuisine, so juicy figs, with their delicately perfumed flavour, when fully ripen and plentiful, would get picked, chopped, cooked down in a frying pan with some butter to bring out their innate sweetness, cooled completely and then frozen to be used during late autumn and winter season, when fresh figs are no longer available.

As a child, on the Slovenian coast, where I grew up, I would eat figs straight from the tree and the common sight of ripe figs slowly started to mark the end of summer and the start of cooler days, back to school days...

I am sharing here this slightly off the beaten track, very special recipe, passed to me by my nona Nada and her dear friend Arnanda. It was truly touching listening to them, deep in conversation about the recipe, and its different variations, even when the villages only a few kilometres apart from each another.

Celebrate this wonderful fruit that marks the transition into autumn and try this delicious bake,. However, if you cannot get hold of fresh figs, you can just use fig jam, or any other jam of your preference for the filling. Your friends and family will be seriously impressed.

Recipe

Ingredients for the dough

500g plain all purpose white flour
7g fast-action dried yeast (also called instant yeast) or 20g fresh yeast
100g unsalted butter, melted
100g caster sugar
250ml lukewarm milk or water or a combination of the two (125ml milk and 125ml water)
2 eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten
grated lemon zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 Tsp sea salt

Ingredients for the filling

The filling is made from fresh figs, you can use other fresh fruit like apples, pears, plums or fig jam instead, or any other jam of your preference.

1kg, roughly, of fresh figs
20g unsalted butter
grated lemon zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
200ml single cream or ricotta

Method

The dough

In a fairly large bowl, sift the flour, make a little well in the centre and add lukewarm milk, instant yeast melted butter, sugar, lightly beaten eggs, grated lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt on the side of the bowl.

Mix and combine well all the ingredients with the fork or a wooden spoon.

(If using fresh yeast, place it into a small bowl and slightly break it down into smaller pieces with your fingers. Add a few tablespoons of tepid milk, ¼ tea spoon of sugar, gently stir and leave for about 15-20 minutes or until gentle bubbles form on the surface).

Transfer the mixture onto a well floured working surface and start kneading, for about 10 minutes, adding a little flour at a time if the mixture is too wet and sticky (this will partially depend on the flour and the size of the eggs)

Alternatively, use a mixer fitted with a dough hook and leave running for about 5 minutes.

The dough is ready when it ends up being really smooth and elastic. It should not stick to your hands or working surface and should leave the bowl clean, if using a mixer.

Transfer the dough back into a very lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film (I use a shower cap, works really well).

Put the bowl in a warm room free of drafts for at least one hour and leave the dough to rest and rise, the dough should increase in volume and double in size.

While the dough is resting and rising start preparing the filling.

The filling

Wash the figs and pat dry them.

Transfer the figs onto a chopping board, half them, quarter them and then roughly chop them.

In a fairly large frying pan melt the butter and add chopped figs.

Cook them for a few minutes on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until they become completely soft and break down. (if the skin of the figs is still a bit hard, break it down with the help of a wooden spoon).

Cool completely and set aside.

Transfer cooked figs into a bowl, add the cream and the lemon zest, stir and mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

Flour well your working surface and rolling pin. Put your dough onto a working surface and roll it out to a more or less rectangular shape (40cmx50cm) to the thickness of about or not more than 1cm.

This will give you a one big loaf, this is how it is traditionally made, and this is the size I made for this recipe.

Because of its size, it could be a bit tricky to handle if you are not familiar with the recipe.

I suggest you might want to divide the dough and the filling in half and make two logs instead.

Take the fig mixture and spread it evenly on the rolled dough but leave some space around the edge so the filling does not come out when rolling the dough.

Gently roll the filled dough quite tightly into a log and tuck well in the edges.

Place the log onto a baking tray, previously lined with baking parchment.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel , place it in a warm, draft free room and leave to prove for the second time for about 30 minutes or until well risen, not necessarily doubling in size.

Take a toothpick and make a little holes in the dough on the whole surface and brush with either some melted butter or beaten egg.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180C static, or equivalent, for about 50-60 minutes. Halfway through baking, tent the roll with the aluminium foil to prevent it browning too much and starting to burn.

Leave on a baking tray until completely cool.

Transfer on a serving plate, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Just a thought

For a more modern version of this traditional fig based sweet treat you can use ricotta instead of the single cream for preparing fig mixture filling and adding a splash of vanilla extract to both the filling and the dough mixture.

Fig roll tastes at its best the day after has been baked.

You can store it in an airtight container for up to five days and is suitable for freezing.

Wine suggestion

Alto Adige Moscato Rosa Passito DOC 2018 - Laimburg

Austrian style Curd Cheesecake Recipe

Beans and Sardines

February 16, 2022 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, baked dish, baking, celebratory desserts, dessert, Easy recipe, festive bakes, festive dessert, festive sweet things, pudding, Sweet Things, easy cakes, no flour cakes, home baking, easy baking, Central Europe cakes, Eastern Europe cakes

This Austrian style Curd Cheesecake is a sweet dessert, delicious in its simplicity, consisting of one main layer mixture of curd cheese or ricotta, flavoured with sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, eggs and the raisins that have been luxuriously soaked in dark rum.

This cake is quite moist, therefore refreshing and perfect for any occasion, it is very easy to make and a great recipe to keep in the repertoire for cakes that require minimum effort but deliver maximum satisfaction.

In Slovenia, where I come from, curd cheese, in Slovenian called skuta (also referred to as farmer's cheese or baker's cheese) has always been a very popular and commonly used ingredient in baking.

For this recipe, you can easily replace curd cheese for ricotta, which is what I used to do when I first arrived in England, and struggled to find curd cheese, but it is now available these days in most bigger supermarkets or Polish food stores.

My mother and my maternal grandmother would make this cake very often, this is proper home made rustic baking, and I am sharing here this nostalgic and special family recipe.

Give it a go and try this wonderful cake, but please do remember, despite the temptation, it is really important to completely cool down the cake before cutting it into slices.

Ingredients

Serves 10

120g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
1kg curd cheese or ricotta
100g semolina
3 Tsp vanilla bean extract or seeds of one vanilla pod
finely grated lemon zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
120g raisins or sultanas
4 Tbsp dark rum or lukewarm water (for soaking the raisins)
icing sugar for dusting

Method

Place the raisins in a small bowl, pour dark rum or lukewarm water over them and let them soak and plump up for about 30 min.

Preheat the oven to 200C static or equivalent. Lightly grease a 23cm springform tin or loose-bottomed tin and line the base with baking parchment.

Put the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Beat together until light and creamy.

Start adding to the sugar and butter mixture the egg yolks, one at a time, making sure the egg yolk is fully absorbed before adding the next one.

Add grated lemon zest, curd cheese or ricotta, semolina and vanilla extract and mix well all the ingredients.

Drain the raisins, remove excess liquid, and add them to the mixture.

Put the egg whites in a separate large bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry.

Fold very gently and lightly into the mixture.

Turn the mixture into a prepared tin.

Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 30min on 200C then lower the temperature to 180C and bake further for another 30min. Cake should be golden in colour on the surface and firm to the touch.

If halfway through baking time the cake is browning too fast, cover the top of the cheesecake loosely with the aluminium foil, to prevent the top from becoming too brown.

When the cake is baked, turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour allowing it to cool a bit.

Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to cool completely.

Loosen the sides of the cake, using a palette knife if needed, and remove the tin.

Invert the cheesecake, then remove the base of the tin and the baking parchment.

Turn the cake back the right way up.

Dust with sifted icing sugar just before serving. This cake is very moist and the icing sugar will dissolve if you dust the cake too soon, no permanent damage though.

Wine suggestion

Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG 2015 - Lungarotti

Fritole - Istrian small doughnuts Recipe

Beans and Sardines

December 23, 2021 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, Celebratory dish, Central European recipes, Christmas dish, dessert, Easter dish, Easter treats, Eastern European recipes, Easy recipe, Enriched dough, Festive dish, Finger food, Istrian cuisine, Istrian dish, Istrian food, pudding, Rustic dish, Slovenian cuisine, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Small bites, Snacks, sweet course, Sweet Things, Winter dish, Winter recipe, festive sweet things, festive dessert, celebratory desserts

Fritole are a type of small fried doughnuts made of thick batter-like dough enriched with raisins and served warm covered in icing sugar, they are light and crunchy on the outside and soft and aromatic on the inside, they just melt in your mouth.

This sinfully delicious and fragrant little delights have a very deep connection with Christian, especially Catholic liturgical festivities like the Carnival season, the time of the year in which eating in excess, and gastronomic indulgence was allowed by the Church before the start of fasting and austerity during Lent, and ending with Easter.

In Venice, where this sweet treats are a synonym of Carnival, fritole used to be prepared and served strictly during the days of Carnival. Nowadays, they appear not only in Venice but also in the region of Veneto and north-east region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, and Istria where fritole are also very popular and start appearing as soon as Christmas festivities are over and remain around on offer as a irresistible sweet temptation until Ash Wednesday begins the Lent season.

However, on the coastal part of Slovenian Istra, once being part of what was called, ‘The most Serene Republic of Venice,’ fritole hold a very special place on Christmas Eve and this is when my nona would make fritole as the tradition called upon her to do.

In dialect they could also be called Fritle, Fritule or miške, meaning little mice in standard Slovenian, as when you drop the batter in hot oil, there is a little trail on the end, resembling little mice.

My father adored them and everyone in the family simply loves fritole, and whoever also grew up with fritole knows this very well. I am sure they can share with me the fact that they get eaten far faster than they can ever be made! When my nona started to get ready for the frying process, the kitchen would suddenly get crowded, we would get louder, and more excited, and our eyes would sparkle with joy just waiting in anticipation for them to be finished, and ready to eat!

My nona would be carefully scooping fritole out of hot oil and they would be disappearing in front of her yes and my nona, being incredibly experienced and fast could hardly keep up with us.

My nona made fritole with raisins but like most recipes fritole have few variation where pine nuts, cinnamon and candied fruit is added to a basic batter.

We would eventually get full, our greediness would decrease, the kitchen would be less noisy and less crowded but she kept frying, ending up layering the fritole on a big plate and dusting them with sugar looking like a snowy mountain, and this vision will stay with me forever...

She would then lovingly packed them for us to take home...

I am miles away from her kitchen, and years have passed by, but when I close my eyes I get transported immediately right back there ... I can smell and feel all of it, and in the stillness of these thoughts I can fully recollect all the nostalgic flavours, and the emotions so closely tied to my family.

My nona is now 93 years old, and her hands sadly are no longer able to make fritole, and so I feel privileged to be have learned how to make them from her, and since she gave me the family recipe, I am to able to keep making them and keep this family tradition alive.

This is why for me these sweet treats hold a very special place in my heart, they are more than just another recipe, they are part of who I am, and who I have become as a person ...

I am sharing here my nona's recipe that was passed down to her by her nona, and so try to make them, and delight your family and friends.

Ingredients

Makes about 40 small doughnuts

400g plain flour
3 eggs, (room temperature) beaten
50g granulated sugar
60-70g raisins or sultanas
3 Tsp fast action dried yeast (also called instant yeast) or 40 g of fresh yeast
250ml milk, lukewarm (full fat or semi skimmed)
4 Tbsp of dark rum or grappa
finely grated lemon zest of one unwaxed lemon
sea salt, a pinch
sunflower or corn oil for frying
icing sugar for dusting

Method

Put the raisins in a small bowl, add warm water to completely cover and soak them for at least 20 minutes or until they plump up.

In a large bowl place the flour, beaten eggs, sugar, pinch of salt, yeast, grated lemon zest.

Gradually start adding the milk, mixing constantly until all the ingredients are well incorporated and you end up with a sticky dough that will be soft but thick resembling batter-like dough or a thick cake mix.

Adjust the dough by adding more milk if the dough is too thick, on the contrary, if you find the dough too runny add a bit more flour.

Add to the dough drained soaked raisins (squeeze out the all the excess liquid).

Cover the bowl with cling film or clean tea towel and place it in a warm place free of drafts from any open window.

Let the dough rest for at least 1 hour.

After this time the dough should rise a bit and have a bubbly surface.

Take a medium- sized deep skillet. Add the oil and heat it up over a medium heat to about 180C.

(If you do not have a thermometer, drop a cube of bread into the oil, it is ready when bread turns golden brown in 15 seconds).

Fritole are fried by dropping a small spoonfuls of dough/batter into the hot oil.

Take two tablespoons, with the first spoon scoop up the sticky dough from the bowl, with the second spoon slip off the dough from the first spoon into the hot oil.

Do not overcrowd the skillet with fritole and fry them in small batches, a few at the time, (4-6) this will obviously depend on the size of your pan. Fry them on both sides, fitole are fried in no time, about a minute on each size, so help them to flip over by using a fork or some tongs, however fritole will sometimes flip over themselves.

Whne you drop the batter/dough into a hot oil they will most probably not form perfect shaped balls but instead will leave a little trail on the end.

Fry until dark-ish brown in colour, puffed and well cooked through. I suggest you do a little test to make sure they are not raw inside. Simply open up a cooked fritola, if still gooey inside the oil is probably too hot and the heat too high.

Line a large plate with absorbent kitchen paper towels. Drain fried fritole with a slotted spoon and transfer them on a plate.

Allow the fritole to cool a bit.

Dust them with icing sugar or roll them in caster sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Just a thought

Fritole are to best enjoyed served still warm, however they are still delicious at room temperature.

Fritole can be warmed up in a microwave or in the oven. My nona put a plate of fritole on the radiator.

Wine suggestion

Moscato del Veneto IGT "Dindarello"2020 - Maculan'

Potica – traditional Slovenian festive nut roll Recipe

Beans and Sardines

December 20, 2021 by tina oblak in Adriatic Recipe, Autumnal dish, Autumnal recipe, baked dish, baking, breakfast, celebratory desserts, Celebratory dish, Christmas dish, dessert, Easter dish, Easter treats, Enriched dough, festive dessert, Festive dish, festive sweet things, Istrian dish, Istrian food, Istrian gastronomy, Slovenian food, Slovenian gastronomy, Sweet bread, sweet course, sweet finger food, sweet nibbles, Sweet Things, Vegetarian, Winter dish, Winter recipe, festive bakes, Christmas bakes

Potica – traditional Slovenian festive nut roll Recipe

Potica is a light brioche like roll filled with rich and very tasty walnut filling, it is the most famous Slovenian dessert and the queen of festive sweet treats.

This cake is traditionally prepared and eaten around Christmas and Easter or other special and festive occasions like the weddings, Christening, family celebrations like birthdays and the birth of a new baby, but these days potica is available to buy in bakeries and supermarkets all year round.

Most loved and well-known is walnut potica, with or without raisins, but other regional sweet and savoury varieties are also very popular, where fillings are most commonly made with poppy seeds, pork crackling, cottage cheese and tarragon. They are all super delicious and recipes for potica are proudly passed from generation to generation.

The name "potica" derives from a Slovenian word “poviti” which means to roll up or to wrap and goes back as far as 16th century when it was baked in Slovenian monasteries.

In Slovenia, potica is traditionally baked in “potičnik” which is a round bundt-style baking dish made from ceramic, but it is also very commonly baked in a simple bundt cake tin, loaf tin or cake pan.

Potica, this Slovenian national treasure, has been registered as a Traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG) in the European Union since April 2001.

A slice of potica can be a great choice for breakfast, is ideal as an afternoon treat with coffee or tea, or like me, you will find any excuse, or none at all, to eat it.

I am sharing here the recipe of my nona's grandmother that made the filling for potica using a mixture of walnuts and almonds, the latter being widely available in Istria.

The mild Mediterranean climate makes almond trees a very common sight. My nona told me that the filling for potica was made with a mixture of those nuts that were most readily available, and sometimes raisins and a little bit of grated apple were also added to the nut mixture, and very rarely, a piece of a chocolate bar (not the whole bar), might be grated into the mixture, which then made the potica particularly luxurious. She reminded me that in the olden days, when she was small, (in the 30s and 40s) seasonal and home grown produce were used to create a wonderful array of dishes, shopping lists, as we know them today, just simply did not exist...

Ingredients for the dough

500g all purpose flour or 00 type flour
20g of fresh yeast or 7g fast-action dried yeast (also called instant yeast)
100g unsalted butter, melted
80g caster sugar
250ml lukewarm full fat or semi skimmed milk
2 eggs, separated (egg yolks slightly beaten, keep the whites for brushing potica just before putting in the oven)
1 Tbsp dark rum
grated lemon zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
pinch of sea salt

Ingredients for the filling

250g walnuts
250g almonds (skin on or peeled)
200ml single cream (can use semi skimmed or full fat milk instead)
100g caster sugar
1Tbsp dark rum
2Tbsp of honey (about 50g)
2 eggs, separated (egg yolks slightly beaten and egg whites whisked to soft peaks)
finely grated lemon zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
icing sugar for dusting

Method

The dough

In a fairly large bowl, sift the flour, make a little well in the centre and add instant yeast, melted butter, caster sugar, lightly beaten egg yolks, grated lemon zest, dark rum and a pinch of sea salt. Mix and combine well all the ingredients.

(If using fresh yeast, slightly brake it down into smaller pieces with your fingers and place it into a small bowl. Add few tablespoons of tepid milk, ¼ Tsp of sugar, gently stir and leave for about 15-20 minutes or until gentle bubbles form on the surface).

Transfer the mixture onto a well floured working surface and start kneading, for about ten minutes, adding a little flour at a time if the mixture is too wet and sticky.

Alternatively, use a mixer fitted with a dough hook and leave running for about 5 minutes.

The dough is ready when it ends up being really smooth and elastic. It should not stick to your hands or working surface and should leave the bowl clean if using a mixer.

Transfer the dough back into a very lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film or clean kitchen towel.

Put the bowl in a warm room free of drafts for at least one hour and leave the dough to rest and rise, the dough should double in size.

While the dough is resting and rising start preparing the filling.

The filling

Place walnuts and almonds in a food processor and mix to a coarse consistency.

Transfer ground walnuts and almonds into a bowl, pour over lukewarm single cream and mix well.

Add caster sugar, dark rum, honey, 2 lightly beaten egg yolks and 2 egg whites (previously whisked to soft peaks and not too stiff) and grated lemon zest. Mix all the ingredient until very well combined and set aside.

Flour well your working surface and rolling pin. Put your dough onto a working surface and roll it out to a more or less rectangular shape (40cmx50cm) to the thickness of about not more than 1cm.

Take the walnut-almond mixture and spread it evenly on the rolled dough but leave some space around the edge so the filling does not come out when rolling the dough.

Gently roll the filled dough quite tightly into a log.

Cut off or tuck well in the edges.

Prepare the bundt pan (for the quantities in this recipe I use a 24cm round bundt cake tin).

Grease it very well with butter, make sure you reach all the nooks and crannies and coat it well with the flour. Shake the excessive flour out of the bundt tin.

If you do not have a bundt pan you can use:

loaf tins (cut the roll into two or three parts, depending on the size of the loaf tins you are using)
greased spring form cake tin (24cm for the quantity in this recipe)
or simply use a baking tray previously greased with butter (in this case model the log into a U shape)

Very gently place your rolled dough (seam side down) into a bundt pan, cake tin or baking tray. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, place it in a warm, draft free room and leave to prove for the second time for 30min to 1h or until well risen (not necessarily doubling in size, just filling out nicely the tin).

Take a toothpick and make little holes in the dough on the whole surface and brush with egg whites.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180C static for about 50-60 minutes. Halfway through baking, tent the potica with the aluminium foil to prevent it browning too much and starting to burn.

Leave until completely cold in a tin.

To remove the potica more easily, take a little plastic knife and run it around the edges to loosen the cake.

Transfer on a serving plate, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Just a thought

Potica tastes at its best the day after has been baked.

You can store it in an airtight container for up to five days and is suitable for freezing.

Wine suggestion

Friuli Colli Orientali Picolit Cialla DOC 2008 - Ronchi di Cialla (0.5l - astuccio)