Recipes

Potica

Recipes by Mateja Reš.

Potica roll cake is one of the culinary specialties that developed hundreds of years ago in Slovenia. Sometimes it was baked only for Christmas and Easter, but today many versions of potica are baked for other holidays as well. Be it family or other. The festive potica is a dessert of Slovenian origin and we should be look at with a pride. Also because there is quite a bit of work involved in preparing the potica. After all, the effort and goodwill that we mix into the dough make the potica so delicious and special. With the coconut and carob potica we looked across the borders of Slovenia. Nowadays, we also like to make stuffing from ingredients coming from other parts of the world, creating modern versions of potica.

Back in the days, a housewife used to bake as she was taught by others and made some improvements along the way, but today, we also like to read cookbooks, to understand the process of baking. Let's take a look at some basic tips:

 

Walnut potica

Orehova potica Mateja Res Vrt okusov foto Maja Pancur© Maja Pančur

Dough:

Filling:

Prepare a yeast starter; mix ½ dl of lukewarm milk, yeast, a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of flour. Wait for the starter to grow and mix in the sifted flour. Add the remaining milk, oil, yolk, rum, lemon juice and salt and knead the soft dough, put it in a bowl and cover with a cloth or lid. It should be left to rise until the amount of dough is doubled.

For filling place ground walnuts, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and pour over the boiling milk. When the mixture has cooled down slightly, add sugar, rum, lemon juice, zest and gently stir in the whisked egg snow.

Greae a baking pan for the potica and dust it with flour or breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle some flour to the working surface (if you do not know how, use a sieve).

Roll the dough thinly into a size 40x30 cm. The easiest way to roll is to flatten the well-soaked dough first with a roller and then roll it diagonally from the center outwards in all directions. This will form a rectangular shape of dough. Then spread the filling evenly on the dough using a spatula. On edge where end of the wrap is, leave 5 cm of uncoated dough. Roll on a narrow side (30 cm). If the roll is thinner at the ends than at the center, slightly push the ends inwards. If the roll is longer than 30 cm, cut off the edges. Put it in a savarin mould with the seam inwards. Spike it several times to the bottom, cover with foil and allow to rise for about 30 minutes, depending on room temperature.

Bake at 180 ° C for 50 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover with baking paper to prevent it from baking too much. It can also be covered with baking paper the entire time.

Turn the oven off and let stand for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let standing for another 10 minutes. Check with a knife that the potica is not clinging to the walls of the baking pan and flip onto a cooling grid or a board.

Let it cool, preferably until the next day and then serve.

 

Tarragon potica

Dough:

Filling:

Prepare a yeast starter; mix 3 tablespoons lukewarm milk, yeast, one tablespoon of sugar and one tablespoon of flour. Allow the starter to grow. Mix it into the sifted flour. Add the remaining milk, melted butter, yolk, rum and salt and knead a soft dough, place it in a bowl and cover with a cloth. It should rise until the amount of dough is doubled.

Whisk beat egg whites until the glossy peaks start to form. With mixer running, add sugar and yolks, beating until thick and creamy. Add quark, semolina, lemon juice, zest, rum and tarragon. The filling should not be dry or wet. Roll out the dough, spread the filling, sprinkle with raisins if desired, roll tightly and place in a well-greased baking pan, spinkled with a strong flour. Spike to the bottom several times, cover with foil and allow to rise for 30 minutes, depending on room temperature.

Bake at 175 ° C for 50-60 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover with baking paper to prevent it from baking too much.

Turn the oven off and let stand for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let standing for another 10 minutes. Check with a knife that the potica is not clinging to the walls of the baking pan and flip onto a cooling grid or a board.

If potica is to be stored in a freezer, it should be done so when still lukewarm to preserve its freshness.

 

Potica with dried apple slices

Mateja Res poticke s suhim sadjem© Mateja Reš

Dough:

Filling:


Prepare a yeast starter; mix 3 tablespoons lukewarm milk, yeast, one tablespoon of sugar and one tablespoon of flour. Allow the starter to grow. Mix it into the sifted flour. Add the remaining milk, melted butter, yolk, rum and salt and knead a soft dough, place it in a bowl and cover with a cloth. It should rise until the amount of dough is doubled.

Grind the dried apple slices with a food processor. Pour over boiled milk, mix, add sour cream, cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest, lemon juice and rum. The filling should not be dry or wet.

Whisk beat egg whites until the glossy peaks start to form. With mixer running, add sugar and yolk, beating until thick and creamy. Roll out the dough, spread the filling, sprinkle with raisins if desired, roll tightly and place in a well-greased baking pan, spinkled with a strong flour. Spike to the bottom several times, cover with foil and allow to rise for 30 minutes, depending on room temperature.

Bake at 175 ° C for 50-60 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover with baking paper to prevent it from baking too much.

Turn the oven off and let stand for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let standing for another 10 minutes. Check with a knife that the potica is not clinging to the walls of the baking pan and flip onto a cooling grid or a board.

If potica is to be stored in a freezer, it should be done so when still lukewarm to preserve its freshness.

 

Coconut potica with cocoa

Dough:

Coconut filling:

 

 

For a yeast starter, mix 3 tablespoons of lukewarm milk, yeast, a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of flour. Wait for the starter to grow, mix with sifted flour and cocoa. Add the remaining milk, melted butter, yolk, rum and salt and knead medium-hard dough. Place in a bowl and cover with a cloth. It should rise until the amount of dough is doubled. For about half an hour, depending on the room temperature. If it rises too much it is best to knead again and wait for it to rise again.

Boil milk and butter for stuffing. Steam coconut flakes, add half a sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until the glossy peaks start to form. With mixer running, add the other half of sugar, yolks and coconut beating until thick and creamy.

Add the coconut. The filling should not be dry or wet.

Roll the cocoa dough thinly to the size of a larger napkin and spread the filling. We start twisting it from the narrow side of the rectangle, twist it tightly and place it in a greased  savarin mould dusted with crubles.

We spike the dough in several places and let it rise for 30 minutes. Coat with a mixture of water and sour cream to keep the crust supple. We re-spike the holes from before.

Bake at 175 ° C for 50-60 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover with baking paper to prevent it from baking too much.

Turn the oven off and let stand for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let standing for another 10 minutes. Check with a knife that the potica is not clinging to the walls of the baking pan and flip onto a cooling grid or a board.