# Slovenian traditional food.



## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

The Republic of Slovenia lies at the heart of Europe - it is a meeting point of four major European natural units: where the Alps and the Mediterranean meet the Pannonian plains and the mysterious Karst. That's what makes Slovenia a special country. And that`s why our cooking is so diverse.

Slovenian cuisine is based on cereal, dairy products, meat (especially pork), sea and freshwater fish, vegetables, legumes and tubers, olives and grapes. Slovenia's cuisine combines the influences of the rural population, medieval lords, the bourgeoisie and monastic orders.

The pic is from Slovenian culinary and turisem conference.


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

Starting with the Slovenian Mediterranean, you can enjoy the best (and also the healthiest) meal in the Kras region, which offers delightful vegetable combinations, meat sauces, pasta, and the local prosciutto called kraški pršut, complemented by a selection of fine wines, including Teran. The people of this picturesque landscape also make excellent omelettes, or frtalje, which combine creativity and culinary resourcefulness. 

Similar dishes can be found along the margins of the Kras, in Istria and the coastal towns, where they are complemented by savoury combinations of fish and other seafood seasoned with Mediterranean herbs and spices and the delicious Refosco and Malvasia wines, which complete the culinary experience. If you happen to be visiting that part of Slovenia, do not forget to visit the Soča Valley: in Kobarid and the surrounding region alone you will find a bounty of superior food, with a combination of traditional and innovative dishes. 

Central Slovenia, with Ljubljana and the surrounding region, offers excellent original dishes such as wheat or buckwheat štruklji (with walnut, tarragon, apple or cottage cheese fillings), and various types of potica, the most famous being the walnut, tarragon, honey or raisin versions. 

But if you fancy a taste of poppy-seed potica, you will have to make your way to Prekmurje, a region which is a treasury of flour-based food. This region and its surroundings are home to different types of pogača, gibanica, kvasenica, zlevanka, posolonka, krapci, and also to a myriad of different types of bread, some of which are true masterpieces, braided and decorated with dough embellishments. As everywhere in Slovenia, the traditional custom of slaughtering a pig (koline) has a special significance here. At a koline a large assortment of fresh, semi-cured, and cured meat products are prepared. 

If you are visiting Koroška, you must try the mežerle, an excellent warm appetizer made of pig’s lung and other offal. In the Gorenjska region, people still prepare culinary specialties such as ajdovi krapi or masounik. Another excellent dish is buckwheat, bean or mushroom porridge. The most identifiable food is the buckwheat žganci, seasoned with crackling and served with a side dish of sauerkraut or sour turnips. 

It is only in the Primorska region that various other such foods and pasta-type dishes are more famous (e.g. the njoki or gnocchi). When visiting Bled, do not forget to try the Bled cream cake (kremna rezina). For freshwater fish, the zlatovšica trout is a special delicacy. It can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as rolled in buckwheat flour and deep-fried. The other freshwater specialty is the Soča trout, which is rolled in corn flour and fried to a nice crisp. 

In Ljubljana, the old Gostilna Žabar located on the city outskirts offers the house specialty of fried frogs' legs. In the Dolenjska region, they prepare various kinds of štruklji. Another regional delicacy of Dolenjska is matevž, served as a side dish or a main dish of puréed beans and potatoes. 

The region of Bela Krajina is famous for roast lamb and suckling pig, and across Slovenia, they prepare different kinds of soup, stew and tasty casserole (e.g. jota and minestrone soup in the Primorska region, and bograč in Prekmurje). Poultry is relatively well-represented on Slovenian menus. Apart from the popular fried chicken, we should also mention roast duck and goose. The latter have become ritual dishes for the greatest modern-day wine festival of St. Martin’s Day (11 November), when people attend festivities to celebrate the new wine harvest.


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

Walnut,poppy, hazelnut, tarragon and raisin "POTICA"








Prekmurska Gibanica








"Idrijski žlinkrofi" with Lamb "bakalca"








prosciutto from karst and Terrano Carsico wine








Kranjska klobasa


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

Soča Traut with herbs








Savinjski želodec








Koroška apple cider, Buckwheat bread, potica








Saint Marten´s stuffed goose


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

By far the best dessert you can eat here is Blejska kremšnita








You can get it only here on Bled.


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

WOW !!!!!!!!!

There is nothing more interesting than reading about the heritage and origin of where someone comes from and the food they enjoy.......
The pictures are wonderful.
As for the desserts .....................formidable !

Do you have any recipes for them ? even one ?......


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

Of course ..:smiles:

*Walnut Potica*

Ingredients for the dough:

500 g white flour
30 g yeast
120 g butter
80 g sugar
3 yolks
2,5 dl milk
rum
lemon or orange peel
vanilla essence
salt

Put flour in abowl, sifted if you like, add salt. In a cup dissolve the yeast in water or milk and in another cup mix the eggs, sugar, rum, vanilla essence, lemon or orange peel. Healt milk, melt fat.

Add hot milk to the flour, stir and add the mixture of eggs, sugar, rum and aromas. Stir again, add dissolved yeast and fat and stir into a medium thick dough. Knead until it is elastic inside and smooth on the outside. Make sure the dough does not stick to the bowl and that it is not too hard. Cover the dough with a PVC sheet and leave to rise. Dough should always rise at room temperature. With rising the quantity of the dough should double. Knead it once and roll it out and spread it with the filling.

Ingredients for the filling:

500 g ground walnuts
100 g sugar
100g honey
1 dl milk
2 eggs
vanilla essence
ground cinnamon
ground cloves
lemon peel
rum

Melt honey in tepid milk, and then add one half of walnuts, sugar, eggs, aromas, spices and rum. Spread the filling on the rolled-out dough and sprinkle with the other half of walnuts. The temperature of the filling should be equal to that of the dough. Roll tightly, put in a mould, prick and leave to rise. Before baking, coat with a thin layer of milk and egg mixture - make sure the holes are not stopped.
Bake 50 minutes at 190°C.


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

Slovenka,

Thank you for the step by step technique.

It looks very interesting and as far as I am concerned....a project !

Thank you so much for sharing that recipe.
I look forward to more.....


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## kirstens (Jul 3, 2009)

Very interesting pictures. What's in the Prekmurska Gibanica? That looks divine.


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## chalkdust (Feb 18, 2009)

"POTICA" poppyseed version has made it to austria at one point! love that stuff! i am also happy to see the sliced cured meat with all the fat, havnt eaten that stuff in a long time.

those pictures are amazing. and the last with the lake and the mountains... how beautiful!!!! please post more about this wonderful country!

thank you

please describe Soča Traut . you absolutely must tell me what this is.

recipe?

how bout these:

"Idrijski žlinkrofi" with Lamb "bakalca"


and

Prekmurska Gibanica



looking very excellent!


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

Recepie for *Prekmurska Gibanica*

Prekmurska gibanica is a unique dessert classed
among national dishes of Slovenia. This old festive
and ritual pastry originating in Prekmurje, the
northeasternmost part of the country, derives its
name from the word "güba", meaning "fold", and
has been valued in the region along the Mura
River since ancient times. Compared to its presentday
counterpart, the original gibanica was
somewhat different, throughout centuries it has
been perfected with additional layers of filling,
gradually taking on the form that we know today.

How to make the fillings and coatings

Ingredients
To prepare prekmurska gibanica in the shape of the baking mould (use
either a rectangular baking tin measuring 40 x 35 cm or a round earthenware
dish with an upper diameter of 30 to 35 cm and a height of 7 to 9
cm) you need: shortcrust pastry, strudel pastry, 1.5 kg apples, 1.2 kg curd
cheese, 420 g granulated sugar, 300 g poppy seeds, 300 g walnuts, 250 g
margarine, butter or vegetable oil, 8 dl sour cream, 5 eggs, 6 sachets vanilla
sugar, cinnamon, salt.

Preparation method
Start prekmurska gibanica with a base of shortcrust pastry. Add a layer of
strudel pastry, and spread half of the poppy seed filling on top. Sprinkle with the
melted fat or oil and the cream mixture. Next comes a second layer of strudel
pastry with the curd cheese filling, a third layer with the walnut and a fourth
layer with the apple filling. Sprinkle each layer of filling with the melted fat or oil
and the cream mixture. Repeat the entire layering procedure in the same order
once again. Place a final layer of strudel pastry, and finish it off with a coating of
fat or sour cream to which an egg yolk has been added. Bake at a temperature
of 160 to 180 °C at least an hour and a half.

The poppy seed filling is
prepared with 300 g ground
poppy seeds, 100 g sugar and
one sachet vanilla sugar.

The curd cheese filling is made with
1.2 kg curd cheese, the yolk of two
eggs, 100 g sugar, two sachets vanilla
sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix well until
the blend is smooth and spreads nicely.

To make the walnut filling
combine 300 g ground
walnuts, 100 g sugar and
one sachet vanilla sugar.

The apple filling is prepared
with 1.5 kg grated apples,
120 g sugar, two sachets
vanilla sugar and cinnamon.

For the cream mixture you need
8 dl sour cream and three eggs.
Separately, mix the yolks with the
sour cream, and then slowly add
the stiffly beaten egg whites.

As a coating of fat use 250 g
melted margarine, melted
butter or vegetable oil.

And one of the best Prekmurje singer Vlado Kreslin-> Namesto koga roža cveti


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

thanks for this info, Slovenka! I love reading about different cultures and their cuisines. 


Do you have a recipe for this 
"Idrijski žlinkrofi" with Lamb "bakalca"

It looks quite tasty!


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## chalkdust (Feb 18, 2009)

it sure does leeniek!!!


this is a very exciting country to learn aobut

thanks for that recipe

wow

curd filling, cream filling, walnut filling, apple filling and poppy filling. short crust and baklava pastry.... melted fat


this is like a cross east europe/middle east orgy of super love! what an amazing dish!


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

Here`s *IDRIJSKI ŽLINKROFI *

From the mid 19th century, the town of Idrija and its surroundings have been famous for Idrija žlikrofi. Due to a lack of historical sources, the exact origin of this local dish has not been established.

Ingredients
Up to 300 g of white flour, 1-2 eggs, oil, some water or milk to make the dough softer

Filling
500 g of potatoes, up to 50 g of lad or chopped smoked pork fat, up to 50 g of onions, spices: chives, black pepper, salt, marjory.

The preparation process
The making of žlikrofi takes a lot of time and has several stages. The first one is that of making the dough. It is folloeed by the preparation of the filling - made of potatoes, minced lard of smoked bacon, onions, spices and herbs. The filling is formed into balls of the size of a hazelnut. The dough is rolled out into a thin layer and the balls of filling put on it. The dough is folded over the filling and pressed together between the balls, so that a sort of ear shape is gained. The upper end of each of the žlikrofi should be pressed down slightly, so that their characteristic hat shape is gained. The making of žlikrofiŽlikrofi are strewn into boiling salty water, stirred and cooked in a covered pot. When they float and boil again, they are ready. Idrija žlikrofi are served with cracklings as well as various meat and other sauces. is thus ended , with only the last phase remaining - that of cooking.


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

*Lamb Bakalca*
Ingredients:

1kg [2lbs] leg of lamb
1 onion, finely chopped 
2 carrots, diced 
1 stalk celery, diced 
2 sun-dried tomatoes
200ml [4/5 cup] lamb stock 
200ml [4/5 cup] dry white wine 
3tbsp olive oil 
a pinch of coarse flour 
salt 
black peppercorns 
3 cloves garlic 
a bundle of herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)

Rinse the meat and wipe it dry, and cut it in smaller chunks. In a pan, glaze onions and garlic on olive oil, and add vegetables and herbs. Stir constantly until liquid has evaporated. Add flour and stir well, then add wine and cook until all liquid has evaporated.

Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, lamb stock, season, and simmer until meat becomes tender. Remove herbs and take out the meat and keep it warm. Cook the bakalca (the sauce) until thick and aromatic. Add the meat, freshly ground peppercorns, bring to a boil, and turn off the heat.


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

About Soča and Soča Trout

he Soca is the jewel of Slovenian rivers, a national treasure of the Slovenian people. It has been described by a group of European hydrologists as one of the most beautiful river of Europe, if not the most beautiful of all. From its source to the small town of Tolmin it has preserved its wild character extolled in verse by the Slovenian poet Simon Gregorcic. It is no wonder that the people refused to approve the construction of a dam and power plant on the upper reaches. The river is protected by laws as a national symbol. The Soca is populated by the indigenous trout, the marble trout (JPG, 24kb) (Salmo marmoratus cuvier), also the brown trout, and the Soca grayling. The marble trout can grow to enormous sizes, the record stands at 20 kg (40 lb), a fish caught at Most na Soci back in 1928. Each season, trophy sized fish of several kilos are taken. Overcoming a number of problems, the Fisheries Research Institute have succeeded in breeding the marble trout, each year a considerable number of fry are introduced into the Soca and its tributes. The Soca river overflows its banks occasionally in June and July due to melting snow. The best period for fishing usually occurs in late August and September, but if conditions are such, excellent sport as to be had in April, May and June. And if you seen the movie Narnia part 2 you`ve seen Soča.


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## slovenka (Nov 30, 2009)

The folks in Slovenia have been making wine since even before the region was a part of the Roman empire, of course, but some of the wineries operating today have been in business since the 1500's. Yet until recently very few people in the United States had even heard of Slovenian wine, let alone tasted any.

Globalization more than anything else means that the market for wine, even ones made in tiny countries, by tiny producers, from slightly obscure grapes have a chance to reach wine lovers all over the world. And if they're good, they have the chance to reach levels of popularity that would never have been possible based on the local demand of their region, or even neighboring countries. Perhaps the most well known success story of this kind in the region is Movia, whose wines I reviewed yesterday. But Slovenia is much bigger than Movia, and there are a lot of wines worth paying attention to.

Slovenia's three primary winegrowing regions of Podravje, Primorska, and Posavje are planted to around 60,000 acres of vineyards, representing more than one percent of the nation's tiny 7,827 square miles of territory. With more than 40,000 registered wineries according to the Oxford Companion to Wine, it's not hard to believe that the average vineyard size for the country falls somewhere in the 8 to 15 acre zone.

This incredible diversity of producers may partially be responsible for Slovenian wine staying off the radar for so long, as most producers are so small that they wouldn't have enough wine to sell on the global market even if they could afford to get it there.

Thanks to the work of some dedicated importers and the increasingly global view of many wine lovers, the world is getting more experience with this region and it's history of producing distinctive wines.

Slovenia was the first republic to declare independence in the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia, but before that nation was cobbled together, it sat at a major crossroads in the Hapsburg empire that, in some form or another, ruled the region even before the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire.

Snuggled as it is between the Mediterranean on the Southwest, Italy on the West, Croatia on the Southeast, and the Austrian Alps to the north (beautifully summarized by the country's coat of arms, seen above), it will come as no surprise that the region's major influences when it comes to wine are Italian, German and Hungarian with some French sensibility thrown into the mix.

Nothing is a greater influence on Slovenian wine, however, than the extremely variable climate of the region, which can vary to such a great degree that the size of the country's wine production regularly fluctuates twenty or thirty percentage points from vintage to vintage.

Like most relatively developed indigenous wine regions, Slovenia produces both red and white wines, but in my experience the white wines are by far the best and most interesting, and in some cases are nothing short of world-class. These whites are either made as single varietals or as blends, using a wide variety of techniques, from the more traditional vinification in large, old oak casks, to modern stainless steel winemaking.

Regardless of the methods used, Slovenian winemakers are producing distinctive wines from familiar grapes like Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc; to less well known varieties such as Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Traminer, and Sylvaner; to the downright obscure Kerner, Pikolit, Vitovska, Sipon, and Pinela.

It is quite unwise of me to broadly characterize the wines of an entire country, as there are great variations, from the sweet dessert wines of the southeast, to the crisp whites of the western region that falls within the unique extension of Italy's Collio appellation. However, I will say that I find Slovenian whites to be extremely distinctive, and quite unlike white wines from anywhere else, save some of the producers in Italy's neighboring Friuli region. The best Slovenian wines, even those with residual sugar, seem to offer amazing combinations of floral, tropical fruit, and more earthy qualities, often with a touch of oxidation that gives them somewhat of an "ancient" quality.

Any wine lover who enjoys white wines I strongly urge to seek out some Slovenian wine and give it a try.
The folks in Slovenia have been making wine since even before the region was a part of the Roman empire, of course, but some of the wineries operating today have been in business since the 1500's. Yet until recently very few people in the United States had even heard of Slovenian wine, let alone tasted any. Globalization more than anything else means that the market for wine, even ones made in tiny countries, by tiny producers, from slightly obscure grapes have a chance to reach wine lovers all over the world. And if they're good, they have the chance to reach levels of popularity that would never have been possible based on the local demand of their region, or even neighboring countries. Perhaps the most well known success story of this kind in the region is Movia, whose wines I reviewed yesterday. But Slovenia is much bigger than Movia, and there are a lot of wines worth paying attention to. Slovenia's three primary winegrowing regions of Podravje, Primorska, and Posavje are planted to around 60,000 acres of vineyards, representing more than one percent of the nation's tiny 7,827 square miles of territory. With more than 40,000 registered wineries according to the Oxford Companion to Wine, it's not hard to believe that the average vineyard size for the country falls somewhere in the 8 to 15 acre zone. This incredible diversity of producers may partially be responsible for Slovenian wine staying off the radar for so long, as most producers are so small that they wouldn't have enough wine to sell on the global market even if they could afford to get it there. Thanks to the work of some dedicated importers and the increasingly global view of many wine lovers, the world is getting more experience with this region and it's history of producing distinctive wines. Slovenia was the first republic to declare independence in the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia, but before that nation was cobbled together, it sat at a major crossroads in the Hapsburg empire that, in some form or another, ruled the region even before the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire. Snuggled as it is between the Mediterranean on the Southwest, Italy on the West, Croatia on the Southeast, and the Austrian Alps to the north (beautifully summarized by the country's coat of arms, seen above), it will come as no surprise that the region's major influences when it comes to wine are Italian, German and Hungarian with some French sensibility thrown into the mix. Nothing is a greater influence on Slovenian wine, however, than the extremely variable climate of the region, which can vary to such a great degree that the size of the country's wine production regularly fluctuates twenty or thirty percentage points from vintage to vintage. Like most relatively developed indigenous wine regions, Slovenia produces both red and white wines, but in my experience the white wines are by far the best and most interesting, and in some cases are nothing short of world-class. These whites are either made as single varietals or as blends, using a wide variety of techniques, from the more traditional vinification in large, old oak casks, to modern stainless steel winemaking. Regardless of the methods used, Slovenian winemakers are producing distinctive wines from familiar grapes like Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc; to less well known varieties such as Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Traminer, and Sylvaner; to the downright obscure Kerner, Pikolit, Vitovska, Sipon, and Pinela. It is quite unwise of me to broadly characterize the wines of an entire country, as there are great variations, from the sweet dessert wines of the southeast, to the crisp whites of the western region that falls within the unique extension of Italy's Collio appellation. However, I will say that I find Slovenian whites to be extremely distinctive, and quite unlike white wines from anywhere else, save some of the producers in Italy's neighboring Friuli region. The best Slovenian wines, even those with residual sugar, seem to offer amazing combinations of floral, tropical fruit, and more earthy qualities, often with a touch of oxidation that gives them somewhat of an "ancient" quality. Any wine lover who enjoys white wines I strongly urge to seek out some Slovenian wine and give it a try.
[img]http://www.santomas.si/images/lege/poljane_800.jpg


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## chalkdust (Feb 18, 2009)

in austria they make smoked pork fat. a slab of fat ( i assume from the back or belly) is salted then hung in smoke for days

then it is chopped up, placed in a jar and sealed with melted lard.

this is eaten on bread or with dumplings.

but i dont know how to get a substitute for it in america.

they must have things like htis in slovenia. and i see that smoked pork fat is called for in the recipe for *IDRIJSKI ŽLINKROFI *


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Slovenka, thank you so much for this course in Slovenian cooking! I had a friend who used to make potica, and have wanted to try and make it myself. Your recipe will make that possible.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

Slovenka- you pretend to be a "line Cook" but you are obviously an undercover agent of the Slovenian Bureau of Tourism! 

I can live with that, if you can get me a deal on ariline tickets and lodgings for next spring. :smoking:

Maybe some restaurant discount coupons, too.

Mike

Looks like a startlingly lovely place to visit (to say nothing of living there - at least after the end of WW II and communism.) Hope you all live long and prosper! eace:


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