Shhhhh… there is a hidden country in Europe that not a lot of people know about! I don’t even want to mention its name. It still feels unexplored by tourists. There is incredible nature, amazing castles and churches, sea and skiing, and my favorite, some amazing culinary adventures. See several posts about our trip in 2018 (The Coast & The Alps). I’m going to tell you the name, but shhhhhhh! Do not tell a bunch of folks. Slovenia. i feel sLOVEnia.
It could be because Ma has spent a lot of time here that i feel sLOVEnia. Everywhere we went we met such beautiful people. We started in the mountains in a ski town, Kransjka Gora. There was an incredible meal in Klinec. We ended on the coast in Portoroz, spending time with friends and Ma’s colleagues.
Everywhere we went, we were greeted with fantastic food (and Pa says “great wine too”). We had a lunch that lasted all day in Goriska Brda. A dinner that lasted all night in Koper. A crepe after hiking through an incredible cave. Gelato with friends in Portoroz. Every encounter we had involved food. But please….don’t tell anyone about the greatness of Slovenia.
We decided the best item to make from Slovenia was their sweet bread called Potica. Potica is typically served on Easter and Christmas. Our re-creation is an adapted recipe from our friends in Koper. This is a very intense recipe for a newbie. Our video is 10 minutes long if that shows you how intense. But it was fun to learn how to make and hopefully after you watch, you will feel sLOVEnia!
Recipe – adapted from our friends in Slovenia. Thank you Dolores and Laura!
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Enjoyment Time: Sunday Dessert
Parent accompaniments: Rodica Rumeni Muskat
Potica – Dough
500ml of warm milk
50g Sugar (1/4 cup)
30g Yeast (2 envelopes)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp Rum
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g Butter, melted and cooled (1/4 cup or ½ stick)
4 egg yolks
900g of flour, sifted (6 cups)
Potica Filling
600g Walnuts, grounded (4 cups)
200ml of milk or sweet cream
150g Sugar (3/4 cup)
2 tsp Rum
½ tsp Cinnamon
“Snow” from 3 egg white
1 egg white for coating
- In large bowl, mix together warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Pour milk mixture into the Kitchen Aid bowl. Then add, salt, rum, vanilla, and butter. Stir in egg yolks, then 4 cups flour; mix well. Stir in more flour to make stiff dough.
- Switch to the hook attachment, knead dough until smooth. Place in greased bowl, tuning once to grease all sides. Cover with clean towel; let rise in warm place (85° F.) about 1 hr., or until dent remains when finger is pressed deep into side of dough.
- While dough rises, grease 4 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pans. Make filling: Put walnuts through fine blade of food chopper. In medium saucepan, heat cream to boiling point; remove from heat; stir in walnuts, then sugar, rum, and cinnamon. In a bowl, beat egg whites till stiff; fold in walnut mixture.
- When dough is ready, turn it onto lightly floured surface; divide into 4 parts; do not knead. Roll 1 piece into 16″ x 9″ rectangle; spread with one fourth of walnut filling. Roll up, jelly-roll-fashion, starting from short side. Pinch ends and side to seal. Place in one of loaf pans. Repeat with 3 other pieces of dough
- Let rise in warm place 1 hr. Meanwhile, start heating oven to 350° F. Bake loaves 40 to 45 min., or until done. Makes 4 loaves.
