Potica is ranked number one in Slovenian traditional holiday pastries. It is made from folded and rolled out yeast dough and filled with various fillings. Slovenian housekeepers are happy to bake it even outside the holiday season to pamper their loved ones. Grandmothers and mothers usually play an important role in training their daughters and granddaughters in this demanding bakery. Achieving the right balance of filling and dough is challenging.
Slovenian potica has protected status as a guaranteed traditional speciality.
We know of more than 80 different fillings placed in the dough, which is where Potica got its name. Typical Slovenian Potica fillings include walnuts, hazelnuts, tarragon, poppy, cheese and others.
This is a holiday pastry baked in a baking tray or directly on the fire. The baking tray used to bake Potica (also called a “potičnik”), which has a cone-shaped mould in the middle, was developed using baking trays for the German yeast-based cake Gugelhupf. Would you like to prepare Potica at home? Try the traditional recipe for the most common, walnut Potica.
To make a good potica you need to invest a lot of time and love. It is a unique culinary art. Take a look at the culinary masterpiece of chef Mojmir Šiftar, named the Young Talent 2019 by the Gault & Millau culinary guide.
Ingredients
Yeast dough:
Filling:
Preparation
Prepare the dough in warm surroundings. Add a teaspoon of salt to the flour, and mix the yeast with a teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour and 50ml of lukewarm water or milk. Leave to rise in warm surroundings. Make a small hole in the middle of the flour, pour in the beaten eggs, yeast mix, melted butter and sugar. Keep adding the lukewarm milk as you whisk. Whisk for 15 minutes or until you see bubbles and the dough gets separated from the bowl. Sprinkle the dough with flour, cover with a napkin and leave it to rise in warm surroundings.
For the filling, roast crushed or minced walnuts with milk and sugar. Heat the honey so it liquifies. Add it to the walnuts and add cinnamon. Leave the filling to cool down, then add another egg or two and gently mix them in. Roll out the dough until it is 1/2cm thick and coat it with the warm filling. Roll it tightly and place it in the baking tray. Leave the Potica to rise slowly. It will rise somewhat in the oven as well. Before baking, coat the Potica with a beaten egg.
Bake for one hour, then leave it to cool in the mould for another 15 minutes. Finally, sprinkle with sugar if you wish.
Bon appetite!
You can taste the various Potica versions all over Slovenia, at various opportunities and at numerous events. Tasting and even preparing Potica can be a real experience in some places.
Potica is a regular companion at most traditional Slovenian holidays. Check which foods are placed on the tables at each holiday.
Then you have to try other tasty Slovenian food recipes. Did you know that Slovenia has 24 gastronomic regions? Each has its own peculiarity, where you will always find something to your taste. Bon appetite!
Regardless of where you decide to eat, ask about Slovenian wines, beer, water, juices and other Slovenian delights. If you have the chance, visit the best Slovenian chefs and do not forget that Slovenian delights also make a great souvenir!
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