Chicken Goulash traditional Istrian Recipe

This hearty, comforting, succulent, and delicious meat dish, is as rustic or as elegant as you want to make it. It is made with only a few ingredients, fresh marjoram, being one of them, which gives this dish a distinguished flavour, very often found in Istrian cooking. 

Chicken goulash is one of the most representative dishes of Slovenian Istra, known in local dialect as Kakušji šugo  or in standard Slovenian Kokošji golaž, and it is a part of Istrian Žgvacet or Žvarcet, a collective term indicating traditional stew or goulash made with different kinds of meat like chicken, beef, venison, rabbit and then cooked in a sauce. 

Nowadays, chicken goulash is prepared in the households on a regular basis, but this certainly was not the case in the past, as my nona told me. When she was a child,  meat dishes were a rare sight on the dining table, and this particular dish was no exception, served exclusively to mark special occasion and during festivities. This may be a concept a bit difficult to grasp, as in today's world chicken meat is easily affordable and accessible for most people. 

My nona also told me that in the past, in more rural settings, on small land holdings, even if not a farm, chickens were a very common sight, and were most common animal around. They roamed freely around the courtyards of the farmhouses, and kept safe during night time in fenced spaces (called in local dialect Kapunere). They were fed exclusively on corn or scraps from home grown vegetables, which made the meat particularly tasty. This was the reason, my nona explained, why a long list of ingredients were not used for this dish, as you really want to taste, elevate and appreciate the flavour of the chicken meat of such high quality. 

Old chickens, no longer able to lay eggs would “disappear” from the courtyards and appeared in pots and pans in a slightly different form. Traditionally, for this recipe, the whole chicken is used, even the parts that have very little or no meat on them like ribs, but will truly add crucial flavour to the goulash and are removed and discarded when the dish is fully cooked. 

This once festive food was accompanied by home made potato gnocchi, polenta, typical Istrian home made fresh pasta like bleki, fuzi, pljukanci or bigoli, pan-fried potatoes with onions and pancetta, or simply with some crunchy bread to soak up the sauce. This recipe for Chicken goulash can be served with mashed potatoes or oven baked potatoes, although these alternatives are slightly a less traditional, but are still quite common side dishes. These days this dish is still enjoyed in this same way!  

I am sharing here my nona's recipe, a very simple but very special recipe, as it has been in the family for generations. My nona learned how to cook this dish from her nona, and as the story goes for most of the recipes, this one also has variations and ingredients like white wine, a bit of chopped fresh tomatoes or a tablespoon of tomato concentrate, crushed garlic and other fresh herbs like a bit of finely chopped fresh rosemary, sage, basil and parsley, few celery leaves finely chopped can be added to the basic recipe. 

Recipe 

Ingredients 

Serves 4-6 

• 1 whole chicken (roaster or cockerel) 1kg-1.5kg, skinned, jointed and cut into chunks (your butcher will be more than happy to do this for you) 

  You can use just chicken thighs or drumsticks on the bone (or boneless pieces) or a combination of the two, and some chicken wings. 

  If you skin yourself, make sure you remove most of the skin to avoid the dish becoming to oily and greasy, and potentially unpleasant to eat. 

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 

• 2 medium onions (about 240g) peeled and finely chopped 

• 1 Tbsp white all purpose plain flour 

• 1 Tbsp fresh marjoram, finely chopped  (can use dry marjoram) 

• sea salt 

• black pepper 

Method 

Put olive oil, finely chopped onions, and chunks of chicken in a fairly large shallow cast iron casserole dish or frying pan. 

Add salt and pepper, and cook on a gentle heat until the onions become soft and caramelized, and meat is golden brown in colour, stir occasionally. This process should take around 45 minutes. 

If it starts catching at the bottom, add a tiny bit of water. 

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Sprinkle flour and add finely chopped fresh marjoram (or dry if using), stir with a wooden spoon. 

Add water to the pan, about ¾ full, and scrap with a wooden spoon bits and pieces that attached to the bottom and the sides of the pan. 

Simmer for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. 

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The dish is fully cooked when the sauce becomes nice and velvety in consistency, it should not be either too thick nor to watery and too thin. 

If you are using whole jointed chicken, fish out and discard pieces that you are not going to serve, like knuckles and chunks of ribs for example. 

Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper. 

Serve hot with potato gnocchi , soft cooked or grilled polenta, typical Istrian home made fresh pasta like bleki, fuzi, pljukanci or bigoli, pan-fried potatoes with onions and pancetta , mashed or oven roasted potatoes or simply with some crunchy bread to soak up the sauce. 

Wine suggestion

Provincia di Pavia Pinot Nero IGT “Junior” 201 - Monsupello

My mum's easy Pear Traybake Recipe

This pear tray bake is made with simple, everyday, ingredients found in your pantry, it is moist, light, soft, super delicious, and incredibly easy and quick to prepare. You will want to make it over and over again, and it will become your number one recipe for a traybake.

This recipe covers it all when it comes to sweet treats, it is perfect for any occasion and it can be enjoyed any time of the day. You can serve it at room temperature or cold as a snack, it goes really well with tea and coffee, it can be made in advance and taken to the picnics; but, it also can be equally served warm as an elegant dessert when “dressed up” a bit and accompanied with cream, whipped cream, fromage frais, yoghurt, or a good quality vanilla ice cream or gelato.

This sumptuously moist pear traybake is incredibly popular back home on the Slovenian coast and baked in the households on a regular basis all year round. In fact, the idea behind this traybake is to use the same basic sponge recipe and add different fresh seasonal fruits or their combinations, so you always end up with a slightly different cake. And of course, using jarred or tinned fruit in this recipe is perfectly fine too.

In the autumn you can use for example pears, apples, plums and blackberries and add ground cinnamon and clove and orange zest to enhance that characteristic autumnal flavours, on the contrary, in the spring and summer months the use of peaches, cherries, nectarines and lemon zest will add freshness to the sponge base.

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I am sharing here my mum's recipe for a tray bake she used to make, and still does, it will become a staple in your sweet things repertoire to bake.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 3-4 ripe pears (about 500g), tinned pears also work well in this recipe

• lemon zest and juice of ½ small unwaxed lemon

• 3 medium eggs (room temperature)

• 150g caster sugar

• 130g plain white all purpose flour

• 6g baking powder (1 Tsp)

• 5 Tsp neutral tasting oil (75ml)

• ½ Tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ Tsp ground cinnamon, optional

• ¼ Tsp ground cloves, optional

• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4.

Lightly grease a tray bake or roasting tin, approx 30 x 23cm (12 x 9), then line the base with baking parchment.

Peel, core and thinly slice the pears. Transfer into a bowl, add lemon zest and squeeze the lemon juice over them. This will help the pears from turning brown and discolouring but also adds a bit of of extra flavour.

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and beat with a free-standing or hand-held mixer for about 7 minutes or until the mixture has thickened, becomes slightly pale in colour and foamy.

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Add sifted flour and baking powder along with oil, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon and clove, if using. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate well all the ingredients.

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Add pears to the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.

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Transfer the mixture into the tray.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the cake is golden, firm to the touch and and when inserting the knife into the centre should come out clean.

Leave to cool then turn out, remove the parchment, dust with a bit of icing sugar and cut into 12 pieces.

You can also serve it warm as a dessert with cream, whipped cream, fromage frais or a good quality vanilla ice cream or gelato.

Just a thought

In this traybake you could use other fruit such as apples, peaches, nectarines, cherries or plums or a combination of the fruits that your prefer, and all of the fresh fruits can be replaced by jarred or tinned alternative.

You can freeze this tray bake for up to three month.

Wine suggestion

Moscato di Trani DOC Dolce Naturale "Dulcis in Fundo" 2019 - Torrevento

One Pot Roasted Octopus with Potatoes and Vegetables Istrian Recipe (Octopus Peka)

One pot roasted octopus with potatoes and vegetables called Octopus Peka (dish found in Slovenian and Croatian Istria and along Dalmatian coast in Croatia) is seriously delicious, very aromatic and one of the easiest and simplest recipe for a one pot roast where the preparation for it requires minimal effort but the finished dish is a serious show stopper, and although this dish is very rustic and formal, for locals it feels very special and celebratory, as it is usually prepared for a large number of people, for friends and family to mark a special occasion

The word Peka, in Slovenian (also called črpinja) and in Croatian, refers to a large metal baking dish with a lid that resembles a bell-shaped dome but it is also a name given to the finished dish (lamb peka, octopus peka etc.) cooked with this very ancient method (in an open fireplace) and the oldest roasting technique which ensures the slow and even cooking as hot coals and embers are placed on top of the dome.

Most of us do not have a possibility to make this dish with the authentic and traditional peka method, but I am sharing here the recipe that would come as close as you can get to the “real deal octopus peka” using Dutch oven, cast iron casserole dish, even a baking tray and some aluminium foil will do.

Serve this dish hot, place the pot in the centre of the table and make sure there is plenty of crunchy bread to soak up the juices, prepare a mixed salad to accompany the dish, and you are ready to go.

I am sharing here this traditional one pot roasted octopus using potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic as basic selection of vegetables, together with fresh fennel bulb that can be replaced by courgettes, aubergines, and bell peppers. Play around and use the vegetables, or a combination of vegetables that you like or prefer. There really is no wrong or right way here, the most important thing is that you enjoy the dish!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• octopus, cleaned, 1 big or a few smaller ones, about 2kg in weight (fishmongers will be happy to clean it for you).

• For this recipe it is best if the octopus has been previously frozen and then thawed, or buy an already frozen octopus if you can.

• 1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• onion (about 150g) peeled and cut into chunks

• carrots (about 280g) peeled and roughly cut into chunks

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled

• tomatoes (I used 6 mini San Marzano Tomatoes), you can use other variety of small tomatoes or use one bigger in size and cut into chunks

• one fresh fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into chunks. You can also replace fennel with other vegetables, such as courgettes, aubergines and bell peppers, or you can use fennel in addition to other vegetables. Few black pitted olives are a tasty addition too.

• 50ml white wine, optional

• extra virgin olive oil, a very generous drizzle

• one small sprig of fresh or dry rosemary

• sea salt

• black pepper

Method

Place clean and defrosted octopus (or octopuses) in a pan, put the lid on and cook the octopus on a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. There will be quite a lot of liquid coming out of the octopus. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C static or equivalent.

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Put all the vegetables in a Dutch oven, baking dish or tray, and very generously drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Season with sea salt and black pepper and mix well.

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Place previously cooked octopus on top of the vegetable and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Put the lid on and roast for 60 minutes.

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Take the lid off and roast for further 10 minutes, or a bit more if there is still a lot of liquid. This will partially depend on the type of vegetables you are using and personal preference.

You want enough liquid so the final dish is juicy and moist.

Place the dish at the centre of the table, so everyone can help themselves, with some crunchy bread to soak up the juices and maybe a nice fresh salad.

Just a thought

This dish is best served hot immediately.

It can be reheated but the dish will be slightly drier as the potatoes and other vegetables will soak up all the juices, although it will still be tasty though.

This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Wine suggestion

Vitovska 2019 - Čotar

Ražnjići- Grilled Pork meat on skewers Balkan inspired Recipe

Ražnjići is a very popular dish of the Balkans, and is similar to Greek Souvlaki.

It consists of threading on metal or wooden skewers, different types of cubed meats, traditionally pork, but chicken or lamb can be used, and even a variety of vegetables, or different combinations of them.

They are then cooked (if using a frying pan), or more traditionally they are barbecued. In fact, back home, on the Slovenian coast, it is almost impossible to imagine having a barbecue without ražnjići (Ćevapčići is another must).

This very informal and rustic dish gets served and offered on the skewers where the dish gets the name from, the word ražanj meaning “skewer”.

Meat lovers will be in heaven with this meal but you can equally make your vegetarian and vegan friends and family very happy too, alternating on the skewers pieces of onion, bell peppers, and courgettes. You have covered your complete guest list, everybody is included, and there is no need to think of alternative dishes for non-meat eaters.

Recipes and gastronomic habits in my homeland have been greatly influenced by both Balkan and Venetian cuisine (as well as Austro-Hungarian) and here I am sharing the recipe for Ražnjići cooked in the family inspired by the Balkan version, which seems to have “won over” the Venetian variation that uses cubes of veal, pork, pancetta, calf's and pig's livers, and is served over soft cooked polenta.

Next time you pull out your frying pan or are planning a barbecue, this recipe is a must!

Ingredients

Serves 3-6 (1 or 2 skewers per person)

• 600g roughly lean pork meat (pork shoulder or loin) trimmed and diced into 48 bite size pieces

  (for this recipe I used 6 skewers, 8 pieces of meat on each skewer, you can distribute less meat on more skewers)

• 24 fresh sage leaves (plus a few extra for the marinade)

• fresh sprig of rosemary (for the marinade)

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled (for the marinade)

• a few pieces of onion (for the marinade)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• sea salt

• black pepper

Method

Place cubed pork meat in a bowl (you can also use an airtight container with the lid) add a generous drizzle of olive oil, peeled garlic, a few pieces of onion, a few sage leaves, fresh sprig of rosemary, sea salt and black pepper. Mix well with your hands, cover with cling film and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.

Thread cubed pork meat on metal skewers or wooden skewers (the latter need to be previously well soaked in the water) alternating two pieces of meat and one fresh sage leaf.

You can cook pork skewers either in a frying pan, in which you have previously put a bit of oil and heated it up, or in a griddle pan.

Cook on a medium-high heat turning the skewers every now and again.

Serve very hot, still on the skewer with some crunchy bread, salad (cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes and salad onions with some kind of white cheese like feta, is the most traditional) or/and with (french fries) and ajvar (sweet roasted red pepper spread).

Wine suggestion

Toscana Rosso IGT "Vigorello" 2017 - San Felice

Cooked fennel salad with lemon and olive oil dressing Istrian Recipe

Cooked fennel salad is a great choice when you want to complete a meal with a simple salad, all you need is a few humble fresh fennel bulbs and an uncomplicated olive oil and lemon dressing which will get soaked up with some crunchy bread.

This fennel salad is rustic and informal, very healthy and nutritious and a great companion to grilled meats and fish, very fresh and incredibly easy to prepare, can be done in advance, stored in a fridge and served cold on a hot summer day.

Along the Slovenian coast, where I grew up, the area is blessed with Mediterranean climate, which subsequently means that there is an abundance of fennel, a very much loved vegetable by the locals, it is traditionally eaten raw or cooked in salads, or braised, which does go down a treat. Wild fennel is also abundant and grows just about anywhere it can, the fronds are used in the local cuisine instead of flat leaf parsley or in combination with.

I am sharing here this traditional and unpretentious cooked fennel salad that it has been made in my family, and by the locals, well, since forever.

If you go so the food store, see some lovely fennel bulbs, and not quite sure what to do with them, you can start with this recipe...

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 as part of meal

• few fresh fennel bulbs, approximately 900g (smaller bulbs are better for this dish)

• extra virgin olive oil, a very generous drizzle

• 1 lemon (juice of ½ or whole lemon, depending on a taste)

• fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly or finely chopped (amount to taste)

• sea salt

• black pepper, optional

• fennel fronds, optional

Method

Wash fennel bulbs under cold running water and dry them with kitchen paper or clean kitchen towel.

Place the bulbs on the chopping board and cut off the hard hollow stalks from the bulb which are quite tough and very fibrous. Cut the feathery fronds from the stalks if you are using them for this dish for adding extra flavour and garnish.

Discard the stalks or use them in other recipes for soups and stews, you can use them as a bed for roasted chicken or other meats, and roasted fish.

Trim off a thin layer of the root end of the bulb (the base of the fennel bulb).

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Stand your fennel straight up and slice in half.

Check how big the core is, if it is quite big, it is a good idea to remove it for this recipe, as they are very fibrous. The cooking time for this recipe is fairly short, and the core, if not removed, could stay quite hard.

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To remove the core, take a knife at a 45 degree angle on both sides of the core and slice in, the core will pop out easily.

Place the fennel in a pot, add boiling water, about ¾ up, alternatively you can steam the fennel.

Put the lid on and gently simmer for about 15 minutes, cooking time will depend on the size of the fennel pieces and the desired consistency.

Adjust cooking time, depending on whether you want the fennel quite soft, or prefer it with still quite a bit of a bite.

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Drain in a colander, run under cold water, leave to drain well and cool a bit.

Slice cooked fennel to your liking.

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Transfer sliced fennel onto a serving plate.

Season with sea salt and black pepper, if using.

Dress cooked fennel with very generous extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh flat leaf parsley an fennel fronds, if using.

Serve at room temperature or cold, place the serving plate in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves, and make sure you have some crunchy bread to soak up all those juices.

Just a thought

For extra flavour, sprinkle dressed fennel salad with dried garlic, not a very traditional way of serving, but a nice addition or a variation of the recipe.

Whole baked Sea Bass on roasted potatoes Istrian Recipe

Whole baked sea bass on a layer of potatoes is very simple, easy, and healthy recipe for oven-roasted fish that calls for only a few fresh simple ingredients, and it is a perfect choice for a light meal main course option. This delicate fish, baked whole in the oven, is effortless to make, flavoursome and never fails to impress your guests. The recipe gives you a superior taste, the flesh remains really tender and moist and the potatoes, during the baking, absorb all the wonderful flavours and aromas from the garlic, onions, olive oil and the juices from the fish.

This basic method of roasting the whole fish on the bone on a bed of sliced potatoes represents the most common and traditional way of preparing and eating fish along the Slovenian coast in restaurants as well as in the households. It is considered one of the best fish based recipes by the locals, very often made on Sundays as a Sunday roast choice, and as a alternative to a meat roast.

I am sharing here my family recipe for whole baked sea bass with potatoes that would traditionally be accompanied by a vegetable side dish such as (depending on what is available in the season) sautéed courgettes, peas or bell peppers, green beans with tomatoes, borlotti beans salad, creamed spinach, braised fennel and different types of seasonal salads, just to mention a few...

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 fresh whole sea bass (each weighing around 300g), cleaned, scaled and gutted (your fishmonger will be happy to do this for you)

• potatoes (about 800g), peeled and sliced (roughly3-5mm)

• 1 small onion (about 50g), peeled and very finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

• 4 small sprigs of fresh rosemary (small enough to fit into the body cavity of the fish)

• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus some extra for drizzling)

• sea salt

• black pepper

• 100ml white wine, fish stock or water (I used a ¼ Tsp of dry granulated fish powder and dissolved it into a 100ml of hot water)

• fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, for serving, optional

• fresh lemon, for serving, optional

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C static or equivalent.

Line a baking tray with non stick baking parchment.

Peel the potatoes and cut them with the knife or a mandolin slicer into slices the thickness of about 3-5mm.

Place sliced potatoes into a bowl and add finely chopped onions, sliced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper and mix well.

Transfer the potato mixture onto a baking tray and with your hands arrange them, distribute evenly more or less, into a single layer (they will overlap a bit).

Put in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

While the potatoes are baking prepare the fish.

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Wash the fish thoroughly inside and out under cold running water and pat dry well the fish with the kitchen paper.

With a sharp knife, slash the fish 3 to 5 times through the flesh, about 5mm deep, almost to the bone.

Season with sea salt and black pepper and put a small sprig of fresh rosemary into the body cavity of each fish.

Take the potatoes out of the oven (after 15-20 minutes) and place the sea bass on top of the potatoes, side by side, scored side up and drizzle each fish with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Cover the baking tray with the aluminium foil, put it back into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

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Remove the aluminium foil and bake further for 10 minutes.

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Pour white wine, fish stock or water over the fish and potatoes and bake further for about 5-6 minutes.

Serve hot with a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Just a thought

If you end up with a leftover baked sea bass, it is delecious eaten cold or at a room temeprature with a drizzle of olive oil and finely chopped fresh flat parsley and accompanied with some cruncy bread, or alternatively you can make a fish spread (see my recipe for Rustic Sea Bream spread)

Wine suggestion

Fiano di Avellino DOCG “Ciro 906” 2019 - Ciro Picariello

Cherry strudel Istrian Recipe

Cherry Strudel is a variation of a traditional and well known Viennese Apple Strudel, it is a very scrumptious dessert made with very thin elastic pastry, and the filling contains fresh cherries, a bit of sugar, lemon zest and breadcrumbs. If you are thinking that you cannot be bothered pitting the cherries and making your own dough, I can guarantee you an equal delicious results using store bought pastry and jarred, tinned or frozen cherries, no hassle involved!

Apple strudel dates back to1696, when it was first mentioned, and “conquered” all the countries that were once part of Austro-Hungarian Empire, but it is believed that strudel originated from baklava (a famous Turkish pastry based dessert) and travelled to Austria with Ottoman's Empire and through Hungarian cuisine.

Apple strudel has been a big hit in all the countries that were once ruled by Austro-Hungarian Empire, but it is in the North Adriatic that this new variation was created giving originality to a very unique and less known type of strudel. A cherry strudel, is a very much loved seasonal dessert in Slovenian Istra, (Češnjev štrudelj or Češnjev zavitek) where I come from, and neighbouring Trieste in Italy.

Cherry strudel has always been very popular, and when fresh cherries are in season, this dessert is regularly baked in the households, and if you are lucky enough, sometimes you can find it on the menus of informal family run restaurants.

This irresistible dessert really takes me back to my childhood. My mother frequently baked it with fresh cherries picked by ourselves in the garden, or were very generously given by our neighbours, it is the garden where I, as a child, spent a lot of time when my parent were working in the restaurant. Along with the girl next door, who was only a year older than me, we used to pick cherries from the tree that had the reddest and ripest cherries, climbed up it, found a comfortable branch to sit on and munch on cherries until we were completely full, chatting and giggling...

When we were called for lunch, there was little appetite left for it, no matter how delicious it was, and my mother would only looked at us and had the answer, our T-shirts were stained, our lips and mouths deep red in colour from the cherry juices...she never got cross with us, just smiled and shook her head...since my mother used to do exactly the same when she was small...

Looking back, it just made me realize how lucky I was, the first time I ever had the chance to buy fresh cherries was when as an adult I moved to England...

Cherry strudel is traditionally served warm and generously dusted (there is no sugar in pastry) with regular icing sugar or vanilla flavoured icing sugar.

You can turn this simple and rustic pudding into an elegant dessert and serve it with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or vanilla sauce.

I am sharing here my mother's recipe, which is slightly off the beaten track, for cherry strudel made with home-made pastry and fresh cherries, however you can still indulge yourself and cut corners a bit by using a store bought ready made puff pastry and frozen, tinned or jarred cherries.

Ingredients

Serves 10-12

You can use store bought ready made puff pastry, shortcrust or filo pastry.

Ingredients for home-made strudel dough

• 250g all purpose flour

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 3 Tbsp neutral tasting vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)

• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice

• sea salt, a pinch

• 50ml-60ml lukewarm water, or as needed

Ingredients for cherry filling

• 700g fresh cherries, washed and pitted (can also use tinned or jarred cherries or store bought frozen cherries, defrost and drain well)

• 100g caster sugar

• 1 unwaxed lemon, grated zest

• 20g butter plus, some extra for brushing

• 80g dry fine breadcrumbs

• sea salt, a pinch

• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

To make the dough

Place the flour in a big mixing bowl and make a well.

In a separate, smaller bowl, mix slightly beaten egg, oil, vinegar or lemon juice, (the acidity will help to relax gluten in the flour making the dough more stretchy) a pinch of sea salt and lukewarm water. Pour the mixture into a flour well.

With the fork, stir the mixture with the flour until well combined. Add a little bit of flour at a time, until the dough comes nicely together, then work the dough with your hands.

Transfer the dough on a lightly floured working surface and knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until nice and smooth.

After this time, the dough should be moist and elastic and not sticky. Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky to knead.

In order to further encourage the development of the gluten, resulting in a very elastic dough, slam the dough onto the working surface a few times.

Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a clean bowl, previously brushed with oil.

Cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rest for about 1 hour at room temperature (strudel dough has no yeast, so do not expect the dough to rise or double in size, it needs to rest for gluten to relax).

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To make the filling

In a small pan melt the butter over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted add breadcrumbs, toast them, stirring constantly until golden-brown in colour. Remove from the heat, cool and set aside.

Wash the cherries, dry them a bit, take the stalks off and pit them. Place them in a colander and leave them to drain until needed.

Preheat the oven to 200C static or equivalent.

Divide the dough in half to make two separate strudels as easier to work with.

Place half of the dough on a clean and lightly floured table cloth. Flour the rolling pin and start rolling out the dough. While rolling, to prevent sticking, flour the dough and the surface every now and then.

When the dough reaches about 20 cm in diameter pick it up and keep stretching it. The best way to do so is to use the back of your hands and in particular the knuckles but make sure you remove any sharp jewellery first.

When the dough becomes difficult to handle as it becomes bigger and thinner, place it on a lightly floured tablecloth.

With your hands (tip of the fingers) keep stretching gently the dough on the tablecloth to paper thin consistency, from the inside to the outside working your way round the sheet of dough.

Keep stretching until the sheet of dough starts to look almost translucent and you will be able to see a pattern of your tablecloth through it.

You should end up with a thin sheet of dough stretched more or less into a rectangular shape with a diameter of approximately 40 cm which will fit into a standard 40 cm baking tray.

If you notice that the edges are still a bit thick, stretch them further very gently or cut them off. If you leave the edges thick, when rolling the strudel, they will form quite a thick layer at the very centre of the strudel risking to remain slightly underbaked.

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Transfer the cherries into a bowl, add sugar, breadcrumbs mixture, lemon zest and mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.

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Place and spoon evenly the cherry mixture over one half of the dough sheet leaving about 2-3cm to the edge. Fold in the side ends of the sheet to prevent filling coming out during rolling.

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Using the tablecloth to help you, roll the dough all the way and roll it directly onto a sheet of baking parchment, seam side down.

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Transfer very gently the baking parchment with the rolled strudel on a baking tray.

Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.

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Brush it with a bit of melted butter.

Bake on the middle shelf for 40-45 minutes.

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Cherry Strudel is ready when the crust turns nice and golden.

Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely. Dust it with icing sugar, cut into slices and serve it on its own or with vanilla ice cream or cream.

Just a thought

You can make the strudel dough ahead and keep it refrigerated for up to two days. Before using the dough take it out of the fridge allowing it to come to a room temperature.

Cherry strudel is best eaten the day is made. You can keep cherry strudel in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or overnight on the counter.

Wine suggestion

Friuli Colli Orientali Verduzzo Sottozona Cialla DOC "Verduzzo di Cialla" 2016 - Ronchi di Cialla

Egg frittata with wild herbs Istrian Recipe

Egg frittata with wild herbs is a very simple and rustic dish, quick to make and a perfect recipe choice for an easy and uncomplicated midweek or weekend lunch, dinner, brunch or breakfast.

It is delicious when eaten hot, but equally very tasty at room temperature or cold, it can be made ahead, providing a great picnic solution, and frittata cut into small bite size pieces will make a brilliant finger food feeding larger groups served together with some drinks.

This humble frittata is a very traditional dish in the Slovenian Istra where I grew up, it is similar to an omelette, it is Italian in origin (Italian word frittata roughly translates to “fried”) and to me, is more than just a quick meal solution.

This type of frittata together with other two most common variations (frittata with dry sausage and frittata with wild asparagus and pancetta) represent a real speciality in Slovenian Istra which, due to close geographical proximity to Italy, made this dish very popular and is referred by locals as Fritaia de erbe, Fritaja, Fritata or Frtalja, Fritaia, and all of these words derive from the Venetian word fritaia, given Venice's domination of the region.

Both my paternal and maternal grandfathers loved all variations of frittata and would have them for merenda (a dialect word, from Italian meaning snack) indicating in the past a quite substantial late morning breakfast (a slightly less sophisticated version of a “modern” brunch) for pheasants, farmers, fishermen and workers. They all started work at dawn, so by mid morning, when they finished working, and before returning home for lunch, they were all quite hungry, and more than ready to have some food to replenish the energy. Nowadays, merenda indicates a light mid morning or mid afternoon snack, that can be savoury or sweet, and of course, children always push for a sweet option...

Both my grandfathers would pick up wild herbs (spring providing the widest range) when returning home from spending a morning working in their vegetable gardens, orchards or olive groves, in which case egg frittata with wild herbs would be prepared for lunch or dinner.

Wild herbs frittata and other types of frittata were for a long time considered a dish for only the poorest people, but thanks to new gastronomic traditions, they are very proudly back on the menus of many homes and restaurants, and given the true dignity they deserve. They are quick and cheap to prepare, have low caloric intake, and are abundant with nutrients from freshly picked herbs in the local area.

I am sharing here a very easy family recipe for this modest frittata. All you need to do is take a nice walk in the natural world around you - forests, meadows etc., and pick some seasonal wild herbs. What can be easier than that?

Well, if you are mainly in an urban area, you can skip the walk and use store bought baby spinach, wild rocket, some fresh basil and flat leaf parsley and you are ready to go...

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 100g-150g (about 4 full handfuls) fresh mixed wild herbs, washed and finely chopped

  In this recipe I used wild garlic leaves, wild fennel, stinging nettle, dandelion leaves, mint, chives, lemon balm, sage, marjoram, flat leaf parsley, basil.

  You can also use store bought baby spinach, wild rocket, any combination, proportion does not really matter as long as you have more or less the total amount of fresh herbs stated in the ingredients list.

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 8 medium sized eggs (in this recipe I calculated 2 eggs per person)

• sea salt

• black pepper

Method

Wash thoroughly fresh mixed herbs, dry them using a salad spinner, if you have one.

Finely chop the herbs and set aside.

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Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk well, add sea salt and black pepper.

Add finely chopped herbs into a mixing bowl and mix well with the egg mixture.

Put extra virgin olive oil in a fairly large non stick frying pan (28cm or 30cm) and heat it up a bit.

Pour the egg and wild herbs mixture into a pan, cover with a lid (glass lid with steam hole works very well if you have it) and cook on a gentle heat.

The frittata is ready and cooked when the underside is set and the egg mixture on the surface no longer has “runny and raw” consistency.

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Hold a plate upside-down over the pan and turn the two over together so that the frittata inverts on to the plate. Slide the frittata back into the pan and cook for a further minute or so.

Fresh herbs frittata can be eaten and enjoyed warm, room temperature or cold and will make a complete meal accompanied by some salad, fresh crunchy bread, soft cooked or grilled polenta and it also makes a great sandwich filler.

If you want to enjoy it Istrian style, pour yourself a small glass of red wine.

Just a thought

This type of frittata will keep in the fridge in an air tight container for about two days and is not suitable for freezing.

In this recipe, I have chosen to cook the frittata in a traditional way, on the stove with a lid, as my family has always used this method. However, if you are familiar cooking the frittata in the oven, and that is your preferred method, it is perfectly fine to do so.

Wine suggestion

Friuli Colli Orientali Ribolla Gialla DOC 2021 - Torre Rosazza

Pork risotto Venetian inspired Recipe

Pork risotto is a perfect recipe when you want to rustle up a quick meal, using only a few fresh simple ingredients. This risotto is easy and uncomplicated to make, and is a delicious, creamy, and very comforting meal. I would not be surprised if it becomes your all time favourite risotto recipe.

The actual name for this pork risotto is Risotto all'Isolana that originated, and is famous in the area of Isola della Scala, situated between Verona and Mantua, in the region of Veneto in Italy. This is where Vialone Nano (type of short grain risotto rice) is widely cultivated. The authentic recipe for this risotto includes the use of two types of meat, a combination of veal and pork, and ground cinnamon, and this is how it is also cooked and eaten in Venice.

In Slovenian Istra, however, where I grew up, and where numerous dishes were inspired from Venetian cooking, it should be no surprise that an Istrian variation of this risotto was created using only pork and omitting ground cinnamon, as this exotic spice was difficult to get hold of, and was out of reach for most locals, and only used to make desserts and puddings.

This type of risotto is a risotto of my childhood and is the one that my mother used to prepare very often, and here I am sharing her recipe.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400g pork shoulder steaks, trimmed off excessive fat and diced

• 300g risotto rice (like Arborio, Vialone Nano or Carnaroli)

• 1 medium onion (about 150g), peeled and finely chopped

• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 litre of beef or other meat stock (home made or good quality store bought stock)

• few leaves of fresh sage, finely chopped

• one sprig of fresh rosemary, needles removed and finely chopped

• sea salt

• black pepper

• Parmiggiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, finely grated, to serve (optional)

Method

Before starting making risotto have your boiling hot beef or other meat stock ready to hand for later.

Place in a pan extra virgin olive oil, finely chopped onions, crushed garlic and trimmed and diced pork shoulder steaks.

Add a pinch of salt, a bit of black pepper and gently fry on a fairly low heat until the onions become soft and translucent and the meat light brown in colour.

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Add finely chopped herbs and about 100ml of water. With a wooden spoon mix and scrap all the bits and pieces from the bottom of the pan, deglaze and cook further for a few minutes on a gentle heat until all the water evaporates.

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Add risotto rice and toast briefly, stirring constantly to avoid sticking to the pan.

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Start gradually adding ladles of hot stock, one at a time, allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding more.

Cook on a medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is cooked al dente, meaning fully cooked but still a bit firm when bitten, it should roughly take between 15-18 minutes for a risotto to be cooked.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper, but this might not be necessary since the store bought stocks are, generally speaking, salty already.

Serve immediately while risotto is still hot and rather liquidy, smooth and runny or as the Italians would describe it, all'onda, meaning on the wave.

Ladle the risotto onto the plates and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese.

Just a thought

Pork risotto is not suitable for freezing.

Wine suggestion

Marca Trevigiana Raboso IGT 2018 - Gatti

Pan-fried potatoes with onions and pancetta Istrian Recipe

If you are searching for a slightly different potato side dish from the usual and delicious mashed or roast potatoes, look no further.

This modest, simple and humble, but hearty and scrumptious potato side dish, pairs perfectly with just about anything, but it is the most loyal companion to meat or vegetable based dishes.

This recipe consists of boiling the potatoes, then cutting them into small pieces and pan-fry them together with salty and crispy bits of pancetta and caramelised, sweet and mellow onions. During this process the light crust will form at the bottom of the pan and when the mixture gets broken into pieces and mixed, you end up with the combination of smooth, creamy potatoes and brown crispy pieces of potato crust, heavenly texture! During this pan-frying phase, the stock gets gradually added for extra flavour and moisture.

You really cannot find a more Slovenian dish than this. It is cooked recurrently in every household and found regularly on the menus (Pražen krompir) in a family run restaurants, nurseries and school canteens up and down the country. Traditionally it is served with roasted meats, sausages and sauerkraut, boiled sheen of beef cooked in broth or simply eaten on its own with a salad or fried eggs.

I grew up with this dish and I am sharing with you my mum's recipe, a variation developed on the coastal part of Slovenia (Kromper v teći, Patate in tecia) where pancetta and olive oil is used instead of lard and pork cracklings, still a very popular choice, but most commonly perhaps ingredients used in inland Slovenia.

This potato dish really unites all the regions of Slovenia, it is a part of very strong gastronomic culture in Istria and Dalmatia (in Croatia) and stretches across and beyond the “borders” with Italy.

This very popular and very much loved potato side dish is traditional in the whole region of Friuli- Venezia Giulia in Italy, where the city of Trieste with its inhabitants particularly prides itself for exceptionally good Patate in tecia.

It is in the dialect of this region and the Veneto region that the word tecia has a double meaning; it can indicate a type of a pan that would normally be used to cook this dish and it can refer to a method of slow cooking on a fairly low heat.

Other recipes and dishes can have a word tecia in them, so for example you can have Zucchine in tecia (Pan- fried courgettes) or Verze in tecia (Pan-fried Savoy cabbage) etc.

This dish, made from scratch, is incredible in its simplicity, but it is also made and can be prepared using leftover boiled potatoes and no vegetarian or vegan friend or family member will be excluded from the dinner table as you can cook this dish by omitting the meaty element and using vegetable broth or stock.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1kg of potatoes

• 100g unsmoked pancetta or bacon, cut into small strips or finely diced, bacon lardons or pork cracklings

• onions (about 240g), peeled and finely sliced

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or lard

• sea salt

• black pepper

• 200ml meat or vegetable broth or stock (you can make a simple stock using a good quality instant vegetable or meat stock powder)

• flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish

Method

Wash whole unpeeled potatoes under the cold running water and put them in a big pot of boiling water.

Add sea salt and gently boil the potatoes until fully cooked, this will depend on the size of the potatoes you are using.

Drain cooked potatoes and allow to cool.

Peel the potatoes and slice or cut them into irregular shape smaller chunks, set aside.

Put the olive oil or lard, if using, in a fairly large frying pan.

Add finely sliced onions and pancetta and gently fry on a fairly low heat until the onions become golden brown in colour, soft and caramelised, and pancetta fully cooked and slightly crisp. This might take around 40 minutes but it is important not to rush this phase of the recipe as the onions might not get as sweet.

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Turn the heat up a bit, add pieces of potatoes and season with sea salt and black pepper (bear in mind that the use of pancetta and broth in this recipe, will partially provide the seasoning).

Cook the potatoes with the onion and pancetta mixture and break down a bit bigger pieces of potatoes with the back of the wooden spoon or or a fork, avoiding to end up with mashed potatoes, you still want bits of potatoes in the texture.

Cook for a few minutes allowing the mixture to catch a bit at the bottom of the pan forming a light crust, but try and avoid to get it burnt (although if it does burn slightly it is not the end of the world).

Scrape the layer of golden brown bits and break the crust with the wooden spoon, stir the mixture.

Cook further for a few minutes until the crust forms again, break it and stir.

Repeat the process a few times adding small amounts of broth or stock to avoid potatoes getting too dry.

The whole idea behind repeating this process of allowing the crust to form, then breaking it and stirring the mixture is to end up with a final dish that will have a combination of crusty and crispy bits of potatoes that are stirred back, mixed with the rest of soft/mushy potatoes, caramelised onions and pancetta.

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Taste, adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and serve hot.

Just a thought

This dish is not suitable for freezing.

When reheating this dish you will need to add some moisture back, as it gets quite dry when cooled down and kept in a fridge, adding more stock or broth.

You can cook this dish with leftover boiled potatoes or using left over mashed potatoes.

Wine suggestion

Friuli Venezia Giulia Friulano DOC "San Pietro" 2020 - I Clivi

Sea Bream broth Istrian Recipe

This clear fish broth is very light and has a very pleasant, delicate and mild fish flavour, it is very nutritious and incredibly easy to make as it consists of cooking fresh whole fish in plenty of water together with the onions, celery, bay leaves, parsley, carrots, black peppercorns and seasoned with sea salt, then strained and served hot with fillets of fish and some cooked white rice if desired.

This fish broth can be as rustic or as elegant and sophisticated as you want it to be, it is a very family friendly dish and perfect for any occasion.

It would be normally eaten as a hot starter, however, you can turn this clear soup into a bit more substantial main course by cooking some white rice separately and add it into a broth, and sprinkle some freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano (or Padano) cheese on top, which is a very customary thing to do along the Slovenian coast, where this type of soup is very much loved by the locals, cooked recurrently in the households and found on menus in fish restaurants (Ribja juha).

This type of broth would be most commonly cooked using fresh whole Sea bream or Sea bass, but other type of fish can be used like Red mullet, John Dory, Small red scorpionfish and similar fish that have a delicate flavour, and you can also mix and match the fish that you like and found available fresh when deciding to cook the broth.

Fish that is quite strong in taste and quite oily, like mackerel, for example, is not the best choice for the broth, also fish fillets are not particularly recommended (although you can use them for practical reasons) as they will give you a slightly blander tasting broth, and that is because the real flavour comes out of the heads and the bones of the fish.

Recipe for this broth is timeless, it has been cooked and loved by the whole family since I was very little and really does take me right back to my childhood when my family used to run a small fish based restaurant.

This type of fish broth would be cooked in large quantities as it is also a fantastic base to use for sauces and for fish and seafood risotto, as it adds bags of extra flavour.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• fresh whole sea bream, one big in size or a few smaller ones (total weight roughly between 400-600g), cleaned, scaled and gutted

• 1 medium onion, peeled and halved

• 1 medium carrot, peeled

• 1 fresh celery stick, washed (with or without the leaves on)

• 2 fresh bay leaves, fresh or dry

• 2 branches of fresh flat leaf parsley, washed (plus some extra when serving the dish)

• sea salt

• few black peppercorns

• extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling, optional

• white rice, optional

• Parmiggiano Reggiano or Padano cheese, freshly grated, optional

Method

Place sea bream in a pan or stock pot large enough to accommodate the fish lying flat (if using more than one sea breams they can overlap a bit but avoid laying them one on top of the other).

Add onion, carrot, celery stick, bay leaves, fresh parsley and a pinch of salt.

Add 2 litres of cold water and bring to boil.

Lower the heat and gently cook for about 1 hour with the lid partially uncovered.

Check occasionally so the broth does not boil too vigorously (this can break the fish into pieces) and skim off any scum if it forms.

Cook the rice as instructed on the pack, if using to add to the broth (a small handful of rice per person).

Carefully remove the fish from the pan, the use of slotted or unslotted turner spatula on each end of the fish will help to lift the fish out of the pan and place it on a big plate or chopping board.

Allow the fish to cool a bit to a manageable temperature.

Clean sea bream by removing the tails, heads, the skin and all the bones in order to obtain small fillets of fish.

Put the fillets in a dish and cover with the aluminium foil to prevent drying and set aside for later use.

Pour the broth through a fine strainer or sieve into another pan.

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Add previously cleaned pieces of fish (small fillets) back into a pan with a filtered broth.

Discard bits and pieces caught in the strainer or in the sieve.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt.

Ladle the broth into serving soup plates or bowls, sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh parsley, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, add a small handful of cooked rice if desired, and serve hot, immediately with some fresh crunchy bread.

Just a thought

Freshly cooked fish broth will keep in the fridge for a few days in the airtight container and is suitable for freezing.

You can cook this broth using only the heads and the bones of the fish and use the fillets for a different recipe or make a second course with them.

Wine suggestion

Vino Bianco "Turno Belo" - Movia

Venetian-style Calf's liver with caramelised onions Recipe

Venetian style liver with onions, Fegato alla Veneziana, consists of thinly sliced liver cooked very quickly and combined with soft, mellow, sweet and caramelised onions, and gently sprinkled with fresh parsley, with white wine being sometimes added to balance the flavours.

It is nowadays acclaimed dish worldwide and it is one of the most classic and traditional Venetian dishes, but is has very humble and modest origins as it was created out of necessity and hunger which originally drove people to eat inner organs of fowls and beasts with great enjoyment.

If you ever had a chance to visit Venice and wondered around the calli (very narrow streets in Venice) you will be able to notice that just about every authentic family run restaurant will display on its menu Fegato alla Veneziana.

Venetian-style calf's liver is a recipe that not only is a staple dish in Venice, but also in the whole region of Veneto. It is also so popular “across the border” in Slovenian Istra, where I come from, that it has become part of a very strong gastronomic tradition there (Polenta z jetrci, Palenta z jetrci or Polenta e fegadini). This is quite understandable since its local recipes and eating habits were significantly shaped by the very lengthy presence of The Most Serene Republic of Venice in the region.

This dish, in its simplicity, when cooked properly, is simply divine, and might be enjoyed even by those who normally are not so keen on liver and thought they did not like it, and that is simply because organ meats unfortunately are very often not very well prepared and overcooked, a process which toughens the texture of the meat and accentuates the “mineral, or irony” taste of the organ meat.

Calf liver, compared to other types of liver, is delicate in flavour, tender and has a very high content of iron.

I am sharing here the recipe that has been in the family since forever - so, just try it, and I am sure that this dish will be nothing like any other liver dishes you might have had in the past and disliked. I encourage you to be brave and open minded, but if your aversion to organ meats is really strong you might just want to skip this post.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500g very fresh calf's liver, trimmed and sliced into thin strips

• 500g onions, peeled and thinly sliced

• 8 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (you can use neutral tasting oil of your choice or butter or a combination)

• 100 ml white wine (optional)

• handful of fresh flat leaf parsley (about 5-10g), roughly chopped

• sea salt

• black pepper

Method

If you are bothered by the slight bitter flavour from the liver a great way of reducing it, is to soak the liver in a dish or bowl of milk for about 1 hour, or overnight. Discard the milk after the soaking process.

Put extra virgin olive oil and thinly sliced onions in a fairly large frying pan and add a generous pinch of sea salt.

Slowly cook the onions on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, translucent, well wilted and caramelised. In order to prevent the onions getting too much colour and brown regulate the heat and maybe add a bit of water or wine to help the onions to wilt well and caramelize better. Be patient, this process might take up to 40minutes but it is crucial for the success of this dish.

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When the onions are cooked completely and ready push them on the side of the frying pan and turn up the flame. Add the strips of liver and over high heat sauté and cook quickly just for a few minutes, mixing and turning liver strips regularly, until they loose their raw colour. Mix the onions and liver together.

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Add finely chopped parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Transfer cooked liver onto a serving plate, lightly sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh parsley and serve warm immediately.

If using white wine, deglaze the frying pan by pouring a good splash of wine and scrape up with the wooden spoon all the bits that have formed. Reduce the wine to the consistency of a syrup and pour over the liver.

Serve on soft cooked creamy polenta, grilled polenta, mashed potatoes or simply a nice crunchy bread to soak up the juices.

Just a thought

If you happen to have some left over cooked livers you can make a very delicious and economic liver pâté.

Simply weight the amount of left over livers, chop them very finely (if you like small bits in your pâté) and add the same same amount of very soft unsalted butter. Mix together and here is your Venetian style liver pâté, delicious spread on crostini (toasted bread).

If you prefer the pâté with a very smooth consistency place both livers and butter into a small food processor and mix until the mixture resembles smooth paste (you can also use a hand blender).

Wine suggestion

Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC 2019 - Speri

Lamb Peka – One pot slow roasted lamb with potatoes and vegetables Istrian style Recipe

The word Peka, in Slovenian (also called črpinja) and in Croatian, refers to a large metal baking dish with a lid that resembles a bell-shaped dome but it is also a name given to the finished dish (lamb peka, octopus peka etc.) cooked with this very ancient method (in an open fireplace) and the oldest roasting technique which ensures the slow and even cooking as hot coals and embers are placed on top of the dome.

Any Peka type of recipe, traditionally, is usually for a large number of people, when family and friends come together to mark a special occasion. It is a very informal and rustic way of cooking, and yet, feels very special and celebratory. Various types of meats and poultry, as well as fish, octopus being the most popular choice, can be cooked this way, always paired with potatoes and vegetables to soak up the juices, preparation for which takes minimal effort but offers a spectacular one pot meal feast and an unforgettable experience.

Food prepared with the “peka method” recipe, typically found in Slovenian and Croatian Istria and along Dalmatian coast, will give you the finished dish that it is neither baked or cooked, but something in between, will be slightly crispy outside and very tender inside, it falls apart and almost melts in your mouth.

Most of you, including myself, as I currently live in England, will not have the possibility to make this dish with the authentic and traditional peka method, but where there is a will there is a way.

Here I am sharing with you the recipe for lamb peka in the oven, using a Dutch oven or cast iron casserole dish, even a baking tray and aluminium foil will do, that will give us the possibility to come as close as we can can to a “real deal lamb peka”, just as delicious and aromatic!

This is probably the easiest recipe for the “roast”, you can use chicken thighs, or smaller chunks of any other meat, lamb chops for example, in which case the cooking time will be between 1 -2 hours.

You really need to adjust the cooking time according to the type and size of the meat you are using.

Serve this dish hot, place the pot in the centre of the table and make sure there is plenty of crunchy bread to soak up the juices, prepare a mixed salad to accompany the dish, and you are ready to go.

Try this recipe, this is one of those dishes you will get a lot of 'oohs' and 'aahs'!

Ingredients

Serves 6 people

• 2 – 2.5kg lamb meat (lamb shoulder with bone in or leg of lamb) For this recipe I used shoulder of lamb with the bone weighing 2.350kg.

• 1kg baby potatoes (or regular potatoes, peeled and quartered)

• 1 medium onion (about 150g) peeled and quartered (you can use red onion or shallots)

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled

• carrots (about 150g) peeled and cut into chunks

• small courgette (about 220g) cut into chunks

• small aubergine (about 240g) quartered

• small green pepper (about 130g) deseeded and quartered

• fresh rosemary sprig

• 100ml white wine, optional

• sea salt

• black ground pepper

Method

Marinating the meat (optional)

Before making this dish you can marinate the meat the evening before for extra flavour (I always do it but this is not necessary).

Put the lamb in a container, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and with your hands rub the oil into the meat.

Season with sea salt and pepper and add 2 peeled cloves of garlic and some fresh herbs like rosemary and sage.

Close the lid, put in the fridge for a few hours or ideally overnight.

Take the meat out of the fridge and bring it to the room temperature at least an hour before cooking it.

Preheat the oven to 170C static or equivalent.

Prepare the vegetables, wash them, quarter them or cut them into bigger chunks (if you are using baby potatoes cut the bigger ones in half lengthwise).

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Place the potatoes and roughly half of the vegetables in the Dutch oven, stick the fresh rosemary sprig in the middle of the potatoes and vegetables, season with sea salt and black pepper, pour white wine if using, and place the meat on the top.

Arrange the rest of the vegetables around the meat.

Close Dutch oven with the lid, or cover well with the aluminium foil if using a baking tray, put in the oven and bake for 4 hours until the meat becomes so tender it falls off the bone.

Turn the meat half way cooking time.

Remove the meat from the Dutch oven or baking tray, and wrap it into the aluminium foil to rest and keep warm.

While the lamb is resting, take a big spoon and scoop/spoon out the excessive fat.

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Return the Dutch oven or baking tray back in the oven (without the lid or aluminium foil) and bake further for a few minutes allowing the potatoes to colour a bit and and liquids to dry.

Take the potatoes and the vegetables from the oven, unwrap the lamb, place it back in the Dutch oven, or tray, on top of the potatoes and vegetables.

Place the pot in the middle of the table and serve or let everyone help themselves.

Just a thought

You can play around with this recipe a bit, use the vegetables that you particularly like and adjust the quantity of the potatoes and the vegetables according to the size of a pot or a dish/tray you are using.

Wine suggestion

Alto Adige Cabernet Riserva DOC 2019 - Alois Lageder

Cooked ham in bread dough Recipe

Cooked ham in bread dough is a real show stopper and a crowd pleaser, this recipe goes back to medieval times when it was customary cooking various types of meats in bread dough.

This dish consists of a piece of ham being cooked first and then wrapped in bread dough and baked in the oven allowing the aroma and the flavours of the ham to travel into the dough during the baking process.

On the Slovenian coast, where I come from, there is no Easter without this dish. This baked delicacy is so deeply rooted in Slovenian gastronomic culture that it is traditionally cooked and eaten around Easter period (with freshly grated horseradish or horseradish cream and mustard) and served as part of Easter breakfast on actual Easter day, in just about every corner of the country, together with hard boiled eggs, Pinca (Easter sweet bread) and Potica (traditional Slovenian festive nut roll).

This dish is also typically found in Trieste, and province of Trieste in Italy, in local osterie (informal, usually family run eating places serving simple local specialities), on a daily basis and typically served with a a glass of wine or locally produced artisan beer.

I studied in Trieste and had this dish on my graduation day as part of the buffet.

This recipe is so popular and delicious that it is nowadays enjoyed all year round, it is also ideal for picnics, as it can be made ahead of time and travels well.

Ingredients

Serves

For the dough

• 500g strong white bread flour

• 7g (one sachet) fast-action dried yeast

• sea salt, a pinch

• 300ml lukewarm milk (full fat, semi skimmed or skimmed)

• 25g butter, unsalted or slightly salted, melted

You also need

• 1.4kg, roughly, unsmoked or smoked Gammon joint

• 1 carrot, optional

• 1 celery stick, optional

• ½ onion, optional

• 1egg, beaten

• a bit of extra milk (about 2 Tbsp)

Method

Place the ham in a big pot and add enough cold water to completely cover the ham.

Add a whole carrot, celery stick and half an onion for extra flavour, if desired.

Bring to boil, lower the heat, cover with the lid and gently boil for required time, this will depend on the size of the ham. (Weight your meat to calculate and work out your cooking times, allow 20 minutes per 450g)

While the ham is cooking, make the dough. (You can cook the ham in advance and wrap it in aluminium foil to keep it moist, and use when needed.

Drain cooked ham in a colander and let it cool completely.

Pat dry the ham well with the kitchen paper.

Put the flour in a large mixing bowl, add dried yeast on one side of the bowl and sea salt on the other. Add the milk, melted butter and mix to combine well all the ingredients.

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The dough at this point will be a bit sticky, but should not be soggy. The dough will become less sticky as you knead.

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Transfer the mixture on to a lightly floured (or lightly oiled) work surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth and has an elastic texture. Your hands should not stick to the dough, if they do add a bit of flour at a time.

Put the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with a cling film. Stand in a warm place, free of drafts, and let it rise for at least 1-1 ½ hours until the dough has doubled or tripled in size.

Turn the dough on to lightly floured surface and knock back by hand for few minutes. Flour well the surface and with the rolling pin roll the dough to about 2cm thick. At this point you can pinch a bit of dough for decorating if you wish (I made a little dough plait, as it is done traditionally).

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Preheat the oven to 180C static or equivalent and line the baking tray with the non stick baking parchment.

In a small bowl mix the beaten egg with a bit of milk and brush the centre of the rolled dough.

Place the ham in the centre on the brushed area.

Brush the rest of the ham with egg and milk mixture.

Wrap the ham with the dough all around, a bit like a parcel. Seal well the edges to avoid the dough opening up during the baking.

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Place your ham and dough parcel on a baking tray with the junctions facing downwards.

Glaze the ham and dough parcel on all sides with the egg and milk mixture.

Prick the ham and dough parcel with a toothpick.

If you created a small Easter themed dough decoration, place it on top of the dough parcel and brush with egg and milk mixture.

Put the ham dough parcel in the preheated oven and bake for 60 minutes. Half way the baking time cover with aluminium foil and bake further until golden in colour.

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Take out of the oven, leave to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes, then remove from the baking tray and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Best served warm with horse radish sauce, freshly grated horse radish root or/and mustard.

Wine suggestion

Collio Pinot Bianco DOC 2020 - Doro Princic

Squid Risotto Adriatic style Recipe

Squid or calamari risotto is very delicate in taste, yet flavoursome, hearty and filling, very quick and easy to make, which makes it a perfect choice for a light lunch or dinner and a staple mid-week dish.

Fresh squid (not cleaned yet)

This risotto is an absolute winner, it will delight the whole family, and it is very pleasant to eat with its creamy texture and sweet and tender squid. It is simply delicious, and it is packed with Mediterranean ingredients that recall holidays by the sea.

I grew up on this type of risotto, it has been made in my family since as long as I can remember. My mother told me I was partially weaned on this risotto, she obviously made sure the squid chunks were cut in miniscule pieces to make it safe for me to eat. I loved it, apparently, and I still do.

The frequency with which this risotto, among many other types of risotti, has been made should come as no surprise. The area where I was born and grew up, the Slovenian coast, it is just under two hours drive from northern region of Veneto in Italy, where the greatest number and variety of risotto recipes can be found.

Squid risotto is very often prepared and cooked in the households, and regularly printed on the menus in the local restaurants, where you will find it as Rižota s kalamari or Rižota z lignji.

I am sharing here my mother's recipe, and do not be put off by the task of cleaning the squid, ask your fishmonger to do it for you and try this fantastic risotto dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500g roughly, fresh squid, cleaned and cut into smaller pieces or rings (keep the tentacles). For this recipe you can also use frozen raw already cleaned squid tubes available in most bigger supermarkets.

• 1 small onion (about 80g), peeled and finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 Tbsp tomato purée

• 300g risotto rice (like Vialone Nano, Arborio or Carnaroli)

• fresh flat leaf parsley, about a handful (roughly 8g), some extra for garnish

• 1 litre hot vegetable stock or hot water

• sea salt

• ground black pepper

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Method

Before starting making risotto, it is a good idea to have your boiling hot stock or hot water ready to hand for later.

Put extra virgin olive oil in a pan, add finely chopped onions and sauté on a gentle heat until soft.

Add crushed garlic and cook for about a minute together with the onions.

Place clean pieces of squid in a pan and cook for about three minutes or so, until opaque.

Add the rice, mix well with the onion, garlic and squid mixture, and toast it for few minutes stirring constantly to avoid sticking to the pan.

Add tomato purée, pour in the pan all the hot stock or hot water and add chopped parsley.

If you have made a risotto before and have a clear idea of how moist you like it to be, you can control the moisture of the risotto by gradually adding ladles of hot stock or water, one at a time, allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding more, rather than pouring the whole quantity of liquid over toasted rice, like I did in this recipe.

Cook on a medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is cooked al dente (fully cooked but still firm when bitten). It will generally take about 15-18 minutes for a risotto to be cooked.

There should be enough liquid just to cover the risotto, the Italians say that risotto should be smooth and runny enough to be described as all'onda, on the wave. Quite right, eating dry risotto is not particularly enjoyable.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and ground pepper.

Serve hot and garnish with roughly chopped fresh flat parsley.

Just a thought

You can add to the risotto a small amount of chilli to give it an extra kick, but in small amounts, as you do not want to overpower the delicate flavour of the squid and of the dish in general.

Wine suggestion

Colli di Luni Vermentino “Etichetta Nera” 2021 - Lunae