Traditional Italian and Calabrian Cuisine Italy is very famous for its food. Every country offers something delicious and typical. To begin, Campania can’t exist without its pizza. All tourists of the world want to taste pizza made in Naples. The lovers of pasta want Italian tortellini or lasagna .
Tortellini
All people know pesto ALLA GENOVESE with our aromatic basil. Not to mention our enviable cheese:PARMIGGIANO REGGIANO.
Parmigiano Reggiano
Pesto alla genovese
Every one want to taste a slice of CAPOCOLLO with a slice of Altamura bread.
The Italian food is very good and also its wines: for example Chianti and Cirò Librandi. Calabria, our region, offers many specialties: the spicy ‘NDUJA, SOPRESSATA (a soft spreadable cured meat made with pork meat, herbs, spices and the famous Calabrian chili ), the ice-cream TARTUFO OF PIZZO, STOCCO FISH OF MAMMOLA, the OLIVE SCHIACCIATE (smashed olives), the GIARDINIERA andPECORINO CHEESE OF CROTONE and many other products. Nduja
Tartufo
Giardiniera
A traditional dish prepared for religious festivity or special days is the “pasta chijna” (filled pasta) based on layers of homemade pasta (lasagne) topped with small fried
meatballs, slices of hard-boiled eggs, slices of spicy "salami", caciocavallo cheese and grated pecorino cheese (baked). The Spiral Fileja is served with a chilli-falvoured sauce of tomatoes and pecorino. There are also good local foods based on offal such as “the morzeddu” in the Catanzaro province! It is lamb or kid (young goat) offal cooked with tomato, hot pepper in a pie-like bread container. Along the coast we find a large use of fresh fish. Tuna and Swordfish are on the menu! Tuna is seasoned with “ la cipollata” (onions), the famous red sweet onions of Tropea. The baby fish that we call “neonata ”is used to make small fritters or utilized to make a paste known as “rosamarina” with hot red pepper. Other specialties are Eggplant Parmigiana, Mushrooms picked in the woods and cooked in different ways, dried tomatoes; "Patati e Pipi", fried potatoes and red peppers. Calabria is rich in Citrus Fruit such as the Clementines of Calabria, the chestnuts, the figsespecially those from Cosenza which are covered with chocolate or worked with spices and dried fruit (almonds, walnuts) to make the famous “crocette” (cross-shaped). Some traditional desserts of Calabria are: Nougat (Torrone), "giurgiulene", small nougat made with honey, almonds, candied orange, pistachio nut or sesame seeds. Pitta 'mpigliata (or pitta' nchiusa) based on dried fruit and honey.Mostaccioli (Mostazzoli, 'Nzuddha, Mastazzuolu or Mustazzuali) are typical sweets from Soriano Calabro, made with natural ingredients, flour, Calabrian honey and mulled wine. They are in various shapes.Turdiddri or Cannarìculi , Nacatole, Pignolata and Susamelle are traditional Christmas sweets .Chiacchiere (Gossips) - Sweets prepared to celebrate Carnival (Mardi-Gras), in the shape of a strip, sometimes modeled in various forms, made with a mixture of flour that is fried or baked, then dusted with powdered sugar. Cuzzupe, Easter sweets. Turdiddri or Cannarìculi
Pitta 'mpigliata
Cuzzupe
COLOMBE Serves 8 colombine puff 2 rolls of puff pastry rectangle 230 grams each FOR THE PASTRY CREAM Milk 500 ml flour (or cornstarch) 50 g sugar 150 g eggs 6 egg yolks 1 vanilla pod for garnish Powdered sugar 1 egg q.s. fresh cream (or milk) 1 tablespoon
On a Calabrian table you can always find a good glass of wine produced in our region, especially the red one. One of the best wines produced is white and red Cirò wine. Our typical homemade liqueurs arebergamot, made with an extraordinary and prided citrus fruit exclusive of our region, and “limoncello” made with lemon.
by Asia, Beatrice, Chiara, Giulia, Michaela. (Class 2H) IC Ardito- Don Bosco, Lamezia Terme (Italy)
POLISH CUISINE - Typical meals are very hearty and often contain a lot of meat. The most recommendable dishes are: bigos, kotlet schabowy, pierogi and goląbki. Their two basic products are bread and sausages. Poland has experienced multiple culinary influences; they were absorbed, transformed and given a unique form. Polish cuisine has always known as to renew itself; use the elements of Jewish cuisine, Lithuanian influences, Ukrainian, Russian, French and German. The most typical ingredients used in Polish cuisine are sauerkraut, beetroot, sour cream, mushrooms and sausages. Large quantities of spices have always been used in Poland; such as dill, caraway seeds, parsley, or pepper. Poland is proud and famous for its high quality sausages, ham and butcher's products. There are many various kinds of Polish sausage and we definitely recommend you to try. BIGOS Ingredients: - 1,5kg pickled cabbage - 2 onions small cut - 2 spoons oil - 1 sausage cut in slices - 250g beef without bone, cut in cubes - 250g pork cut in cubes - 100g bacon cut in cubes - 150ml red wine - 3 spoon tomato sauce - ½ handful dried mushrooms - ½ handful dried plums - 2-3 bay leaves - 3-5 all-spice - 1 spoon cumin - 1 spoon marjoram - pinch of salt - pinch of pepper Preparation: 1. Wash the cabbage and cut it. Put into the big pot, add plums, bay leaves and all-spice. Simmer for about 50 minutes. 2. Rinse the mushrooms with hot water in a small pot. 3. Fry the onion. Later add the sausage and fry. 4. In another pot boil 1l water. Add pork, beef and bacon into boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes and strain meat. 5. When the cabbage is soft add the mushrooms, the meat and the onion with the sausage. Simmer without cover for 20 minutes. 6. Add the red wine and cook for 15 minutes. Later add marjoram, cumin, salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce and warm up, mix all the time.
7. If you want bigos to be tastier, you can simmer it for one hour more. By Jakub and Kacper BROTH Ingredients: - 2 chicken legs and 1 body with the neck - 300 g of beef - ten chicken hearts and five stomachs - 3l cold water - 1 onion, 2 carrots, 1 parsley, 1 sprig of parsley, a piece of celery and leek - spices: ½ spoon of salt, 3 grains allspice, 1 bay leaf, 4 grains of pepper Instructions: Cut chicken into pieces. Rinse meat under running water. Do not add breast to the broth. Put all the meat into a large pot with cold water and boil over medium heat for 1 ½ hour. Add vegetables to the broth and boil. Add the spices. Simmer for 1 hour. Serve with cooked pasta and chopped parsley. By Szymon CROQUETTES WITH CHEESE AND MUSHROOMS Ingredients for stuffing 1.5 medium onion 0.5 kg of mushrooms 150-200 g cheese (eg . Cheddar ) salt pepper Ingredients for pancakes 250 ml of whole milk 250 ml of still mineral water 1 egg 250 g of wheat flour pinch of salt 1 tablespoon oil frying oil Instructions The stuffing
Cut the onion into small cubes. Wash the mushrooms and cut into medium-sized cubes. Heat the oil in a pan or a saucepan. Add the onion. Add the mushrooms. Fry uncovered over a medium heat until the mushrooms spread some juice, then completely reduce the heat. Allow the mushrooms to cool down. When the mushrooms are cold, add the cheese. Mix. The pancakes Add to the bowl all the ingredients for pancakes except frying oil. Blend until smooth (you can set aside the dough for 10-15 min). Pour a thin layer of batter onto the hot pan. Fry the pancake on the both sides. Fry all the pancakes in the same way. After that take one pancake and spread some stuffing on a half of the surface of the pancake. Fold the pancake and roll as a carpet. By Przemek and Bartek RUSSIAN DUMPLINGS Ingredients: - 500g white cheese -500g potatoes -2 teaspoon salt -1/2 teaspoon black pepper - 2 onions Instructions: Peel potatoes, rinse, put into a pot, add salt, cover with cold water and boil. Cook under the lid opened for about half an hour. Drain off, put back into the pot and mash. Crumble cheese and crush with the fork. Mix with the potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Cut onions, glaze in butter, add stuffing and mix. Using a glass cut circles from the dough, put a full spoon of stuffing on the centre of each one. Fold in half and join together exactly. In the big pot boil salted water with the addition of the spoonful of oil or butter and put the dumplings. Cook the dumplings until rising to the surface. By Klaudia and Amelia
Silesian dinner or Silesia roulade, dumplings and red cabbage Traditional Silesian dinner is full, fattening, but the taste rewelacyjny. Na Silesia roulade, dumplings and red cabbage hosted on the table in Sunday days. The reported are often important for the Silesian events, ie .: Baptism, First Holy Communion. what wedding. Wherever you looked in there, everyone does this dish "my way" remains unchanged the fact that it is beef or pork wrapped stuffed dumplings and red cabbage. I will share with you how in my house we do this traditional Silesian dish. Let's start with the performance of rolls Silesian: Components: beef - 1.5 kg pickled cucumbers - 500 grams raw smoked bacon - 500gr onion - 3 pieces mustard mustard - 150 grams (jar) allspice - 3 pieces (balls) bay leaf - 2 pieces (leaves) magi - 1 tsp lard - 200 grams salt and pepper - to taste water - 3/4 cup flour - 2.5 tablespoons Execution: Prepare stuffing ourselves when we "slapping" meat, chomps siÄ™.Kroimy skladnikii stuffing pickles into bars about 2cm, onions in a pen, bacon as cucumbers in bars all thrown into one bowl, add mustard and mix it with stuffing. Now the meat: Cut the meat into slices, rozklepujemy (like pork chops) put the stuffing, wrap meat, so that we do not sail stuffing. Fry over high heat on each side, when the meat is well browned pour water, add allspice, magic, vegetables bay leaf, we cover and cook for about 2 hours (can be in a pressure cooker, it takes about 20 minutes after boiling in a pressure cooker) then thickened sauce - water mix with the flour and add to the boiling sauce.
Silesian noodles: Components: potatoes - 1.5 kg potato flour - 3 tablespoons egg - 1 piece Execution: Boil the potatoes in salted water (1 tablespoon of salt). Drain the potatoes, wait until it cools down, squeeze the crushed is tapped, divided into four parts, one part of the "pull" and to the resulting hole and pour in the cornstarch (pulled part is of course added to the dough). Add the egg, all thoroughly kneading to a smooth dough. Form the gnocchi, we like with a hole :) Boil in salted water (throw into boiling water). Red cabbage: Components: red cabbage - 1 piece onion - 1 piece (large) smoked bacon - 150 grams vinegar - 1 tbsp sugar - 1 tbsp salt, pepper, magi - to taste apple - 1 piece Execution: We chop the cabbage. Cut the bacon into cubes fry the onion, you also cut into cubes. Cabbage pour a glass of water, boil (actually fry) until soft. Drain the cabbage, add the bacon and onions, fry a moment, add peeled and grated apple mix again. Add the vinegar, pepper, salt and sugar magi After adding vinegar cabbage will become a little clearer. Classic dough for dumplings • 300 g wheat flour • 250 ml hot water • 1/4 teaspoon salt Additives to dumplings • Mushrooms • Cottage cheese
• Fruits Poppy cake Yeast dough for 3 Strudels: • 3 cups flour + 3 tablespoons for dusting • 180 ml lukewarm milk • 150 g butter, melted and colled • 6 egg yolks • 45 g of fresh yeast and dry yeast 21 g • 6 tablespoons sugar • half a teaspoon of salt • 1.5 tablespoons of alcohol (or vodka, rum, almond liqueur) • seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla Weight poppy: • • • • • • • • • •
500 g poppy 170 g light brown sugar (can substitute half the honey, the weight will be more moist) 100g raisins 50 g walnuts, chopped 3 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons almond extract or almond flavoring 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon of butter at room temperature half a cup candied orange peel 6 protein
Pancakes ingredients: 500g of flour 2 eggs 200 ml of milk jam 50g of oil Mix 500g of flour with 2 eggs. Pour in milk and blend for 10 minutes. Pour the pastry slowly over the hot oil on the frying pan. When ready smear the pancakes with jam. Gimnazjum nr 6 in Ruda Śl.- Poland - Silesia by Edyta Kaszok and Alicja Lata
Romanian traditional food - Romania is a country with an old culinary tradition. From the villages of Transylvania to the capital city of Bucharest, almost anywhere you stop to eat you’ll find fresh, delicious foods. Romanians like to cook and good food has always been a part of their culture. Traditional Romanian dishes are neither elegant nor fancy, but they are very tasty. Quince dish with chicken
Ingredients 4 quinces 8 pieces of chicken 6 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons flour 50g butter 200ml of hot water or chicken broth 50ml of liquid cream fresh parsley salt and pepper Preparation: 1. quinces ripe, peeled, washed, cut into quarters, remove the seeds and are cut into slices 0.5 cm thick. 2. The fruits are put in a saucepan with half the butter and 50ml water, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper, cover with a lid and fry on low heat for 10-15 minutes, without Stir to not crush. 3. Wash and wipe the chicken well, salt and pepper and brown in a pan in a few tablespoons of oil until golden and crisp. 4. Meanwhile, in a small pan melt the sugar, pull the pan from the heat and add the remaining butter and 200ml of hot water (or chicken broth). 5. Return the pan off the heat and allow to boil until sugar melts. Mix flour with 4 tablespoons of water, pour over the caramel sauce and let heat 5 minutes, until it thickens slightly. 6. Pour the caramel over the pumpkin, stir gently and serve with the crispy chicken, sprinkled with chopped parsley.
Quince and apple pie - a cookie scent of autumn Ingredients: For the dough: 270 g flour 3 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt 65g cold butter cut into cubes 60ml cold water ½ teaspoon vinegar filling: 4 quinces and cut into quarters mussels cleaned 2 limnguri brandy 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 medium apples, peeled, seeds removed and cut into thin slices 1 tablespoon flour 2 teaspoons sugar Preheat oven to 200C / gas 6 stage. Mix flour with sugar and salt. Add butter (1 teaspoon preserves) and mix with a mixer or by hand until dough forms similar to rice grains. Add cold water and vinegar and mix. Put the dough in a plastic food wrap. Wrap and flatten it as a disk, then put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Prepare the filling by mixing quince brandy, vanilla and apples in a bowl, adding a tablespoon of flour. When the dough has cooled stretch it into a sheet of 30 cm diameter and place it in a pie pan. Put filling over it and pack the dough edges to the center of the pan, so take a pie half covered. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sugar and grease with remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake the pie for 30 minutes until a golden crust has.
Boeuf Salad Is a Romanian traditional food, despite the french resonance in the name. Salata de Boeuf ( Beef Salad) can actually be made with beef or chicken and its ingredients are the meat and vegetables.
Ingredients: 2 Chicken thighs (or 1 pound of beef) 4-5 carrots 2-3 pickled cucumbers
3-4 potatos mayonnaise a pinch of salt horseradish mustard Preparation: Boil the vegetables and the meat in the soup, and remove. Cut the meat, the potatos, the carrots and the cucumbers into very small cubes. Mix everything and add just enough mayonnaise and 1 spoon of mustard to bind the ingredients together. Put into a serving bowl, cover with a very thin mayonnaise layer. You can decorate with olives and fine slices of pickled peppers, olives, boiled egg white. Fish roe salad Ingredients 1, ½ tbsp carp fish egg 1 finely chopped onion 200 ml sunflower oil lemon juice bread crumb Preparation Fresh carp roe are kept few days in a coldplace, covered with salt. Before preparing the salad, put carp eggs in bowl and clean the black trickles. In a food processor or in a bowl add the carp roe, add bread crumb soaked in sparkling water. and mix with a few drops of lemon juice. Start mixing pouring oil little by little. Keep stirring and pouring oil and when the content becomes too thick lemon juice and few drops of sparkling water. Keep doing it till you have the desired quantity. Taste it from time to time and if your carp fish eggs where stored in salt do not add any more salt. The result should be a thick dip spread. Now add the chopped onion and mix it in with a spatula. Put the dip in a bowl with a lid on and let it in the fridge for few hours before serving it. Taste better the 2nd day.
You can decorate with black olives and parsley leaves. Tripe Soup Tripe soup is one of the classic Romanian dishes. It is a must try for all foreign visitors to Romania, but now you can try it at home. Tripe is the honeycomb structured stomach tissue of cows. The soup is easy to make and delicious. Tripe is more difficult to find in grocery stores in USA, but sometimes you can find it in the more specialized butchery shops. Tripe Soup Recipe Cooking time: 2 hours and 15 minutes (preparation: 15 minutes; boiling: 2 hours) Makes: 6 servings Ingredients: 2 pounds tripe 1 carrot 1 celery root 1 parsley root 1 onion peppercorns (black pepper) 4-5 tablespoons sour cream 4-5 garlic cloves 3 tablespoons apple vinegar Preparation: Scrub and wash three times the tripe (two times with hot water and last time with cold water). Put the vegetables and the tripe in a large pot with cold salted water. Simmer for 2 hours at low heat. Drain the tripe and let it cool. Set aside the vegetables. Cut the tripe into thin stripes and put it back in the broth. Add the sour cream and some minced garlic. Season it with more sour cream, vinegar, salt or minced garlic (taste and adjust the seasoning). Serve with hot peppers on the side.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls - A traditional romanian dish for the Holidays There are no traditional romanian holidays such as Christmas or New Year without stuffed cabbage rolls. Stuffed cabbage rolls are traditionally a winter dish. Romanians do prepare for the winter in the fall, by canning cabbage for the holidays. Canning cabbage makes what is traditionally known as sauerkraut, except that the cabbage is not sliced but canned as whole cabbages. In America it is more difficult to find unsliced sauerkraut, but you can buy the sliced/chopped version and use in combination with a regular fresh cabbage instead.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe (Sarmale) Cooking time: 2 - 2 1/2 hours (preparation: 1 - 1 1/2 hour; cooking: 45 minutes; baking: 15 minutes) Makes: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds ground meat (combined lean beef and pork) 3 tablespoons rice 2 onions 1-2 slices of bread, soaked in water 2 sauerkraut cabbages (or 1 fresh cabbage and 1 quart jar of sauerkraut) 2 tablespoons olive oil salt ground black pepper tomato paste - a small can sour cream Preparation: 1. Mix the ground meat with one finely chopped onion, the soaked and mashed bread, the washed rice, salt and ground black pepper. To obtain a more tender composition add 2-3 tablespoons of water in the mixture. 2. Wash and drain the sauerkraut cabbages. Squeeze them. 3. If a fresh cabbage is used, you need to separate the leaves for filling. To do this, bring to a boil a pot of water, and submerge the cabbage into the hot water for a about 20 30 seconds, then separate the outer leaf and cut the middle vein. Repeat until all the leaves are separated. 4. If a sauerkraut cabbage is used, then the leaves can be easily separated. 5. Fill each leave with the ground meat mixture and roll, tucking in the ends of the cabbage leaf. If the leaves are very big, you can cut them in half. 6. Finely chop the remaining of the sauerkraut. If you use fresh cabbage, chop the remaining of the fresh cabbage and add the chopped sauerkraut. 7. Put a layer of chopped cabbage on the bottom of a large nonstick pot and one layer of chopped onion. Add half can of tomato paste and the olive oil. 8. Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls in layers. Add on top chopped onion, the remaining chopped cabbage and the remaining tomato paste. 9. Add water to cover everything. Season it with salt and peppercorns (black pepper).
10. Bring to a boil and than simmer at medium-low heat for about 45 minutes. Add water from time to time to keep the stuffed rolls covered to the top. 11. Preheat the oven at 375 F and put the pot in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. 12. The dish is better served the next day after baking. 13. Serve with sour cream on top. Traditionally, it can be served with polenta on the side. Summer recipes Eggplant salad recipe Ingredients: 4 middle sized eggplants 4-5 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion 1 teaspoon lemon juice Salt Preparation Dress a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. (This will greatly help with the cleaning process). Preheat the oven at 500 F and roast the eggplants for about 40-45 minutes turning periodically such that all sides become roasted black. Peel the eggplants while they are still warm, then drain using a strainer for at least half an hour. Mash the strained eggplants with a mixer and continue mixing while adding the olive oil one tablespoon at a time. Chop the onion very finely or grated into a paste (you can use a food chopper on a finest setting). Add the onion into the mix, and season with salt and lemon (taste and adjust the seasoning). Note that adding a bit more salt always enhances all the other flavors. Serve in a serving bowl. You can decorate with olives, and thin slices of tomatoes or red pepper. Stuffed tomatoes with eggplant salad recipe Select about 12 medium small tomatoes. Cut the top of the tomatoes forming a little hat. Remove the core with a teaspoon and stuff the tomatoes with the eggplant salad. Add the little tomato hats on top of the eggplant salad spread. Put the stuffed tomatoes on a nice serving plate
Beans beaten (recipe) Ingredients: 1 cup beans, 2 onions, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt, 1 bay leaf. Boil beans 5-10 'then discard the water. Repeat the operation. In the third water with salt, oil, bay leaf and let it boil until the beans are tender. Drain water and mashed beans with 5-6 spoons of oil. Crush the garlic and add to beans. It fits the taste of salt. Cut onions chopped and cook in oil. When onion becomes glassy put paprika, stir and then add tomato paste. Let it rise for 1 minute mixing continuously. Put this sauce with onions and tomato paste over beans.
Cornulete with jam and nuts (Pastry and dough) Ingredients: 500 g flour, a package margarine / butter, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 100 ml water, yeast, a pinch of salt, crushed nuts and jam 50-100 g
Preparation: Put the sifted flour and work on board is a hollow place where margarine / butter at room temperature cut into pieces, sugar, salt, water, yeast and nuts. Knead dough until all ingredients and incorporates Let the yeast to grow in size (approx. one hour). Depending on the desired size of it you have two possibilities: spread throughout the dough into a thin layer and cut a circular shape so it will stand up to 16
triangles - take smaller pieces of dough, roll and cut them like little triangles May Put a little bit of jam on each triangle, roll it up and fill the baking pan by putting cornuletele on min.3 cm away from each other. Bake in oven 35-45 minutes on low heat to medium. After they were removed from the oven, give them the powdered sugar.
SPAIN - SORIA´S GASTRONOMY
THE BUTTER : This dairy product has been the product of Soria´s cuisine that has had more projection abroad. For some years has Designation of Origin. Has the distinction of sugar be added during the manufacturing process, which makes an exquisite dessert
THE "TORRENILLO": Known as "prawns earth," or “terrenillos or torreznos” are marinated bacon strips and fried in a special way to get as crispy crust as possible. It is not difficult to find in the bars of bars and restaurants in the city this appetizing food, star of soria´s lunches. CRUMBS OF PASTOR: This traditional dish is installed strongly in the soria´s gastronomy. Its development of a raw material as simple as bread, The bread is chopped and it is braised in the pan along with paprika, butter and garlic. Sometimes bacon or sausage are also added, but the real soria´s ones are served with grapes.
TART TART: You may not have had such a long journey in the culinary history as the previous dishes, but this delicious dessert made of several sheets of puff pastry filled by milk cream or cream, is one of the most attractive taste experience offered by the Soria´s kitchen. by Rivaldo Joel Vilela Landa
Slovenia - as the Slovenian food has a variety of roots, only in certain parts of the country were various types of food and cooking processes traditionally available, such as crabs and dried pork, cured by the sea air. Most of the Slovenia restaurants serve food which has been influenced by Austria, Italy, Hungary, and various countries on the Balkan Peninsula, and the people of Slovenia have created a superb array of culinary delights that can be called their own. Among the most essential components of Slovenian food are the spices and basic carbohydrates. Many of the traditional spices include sage, marjoram, thyme, pepper, bay leaves, cinnamon, setraj, and mint. Flour, potatoes, cream, eggs, beans, and pork are the more commonly used basic ingredients, and though this may seem to be a limited list, the possibilities are almost endless. "Žganci" Žganci can be found all over the country but is prepared differently in each region: Koroška, Gorenjska, Dolenjska in Štajerska . The essence of žganci, however, stays the same. It is rich in energy giving carbohydrates. It is one of the essential ingredients of traditional cuisine that in its time corresponded to people's possibilities and needs. Žganci is prepared from buckwheat, corn, wheat or barley flour, sometimes also from groats or potatoes. Wheat grits, cornmeal and potatoes can be added. It somewhat resembles polenta but is prepared with finely ground flour. "Štruklji" This is one of the most characteristic dishes, known all over Slovenia. Štruklji are made from different kinds of dough and can have a wide range of fillings; they can be baked or cooked, sweet or savory. Until around the 1930's they used to be prepared at holidays and festivities and to celebrate the end of major farm work. The most special kind of štruklji, especially during spring and summer, is prepared with tarragon filling. Other widely known varieties are those with cottage cheese filling, walnut, apple and poppy seed štruklji, along with many others.
"Jota"
Jota is a hearty hot pot or a thick soup made from pickled turnip stripes or sauerkraut and potatoes. The traditional dish jota is only made from sauerkraut and beans. It is served with white or yellow polenta, as a main course and in many other ways.
"Potica" Potica is a typical Slovenian festive dish known all around the world. It used to be baked in special baking dishes which reflect the local folk's genuine creativity. Potica cake pans are usually round, with a cylinder in the centre of the dish. Baked potica comes in the shape of a ring or circular loaf. There are at least fifty recognised variants, which differ according to the filling: originally, the filling was made of walnuts, hazelnuts, honey, peppermint, cottage cheese, sour cream, cracklings, bacon or dried fruit. Cocoa, chocolate or carob are later additions. Potica was usually not sweetened. A typical dough is made of wheat flour, which is rolled out flat, over which the filling is then spread; and finally, the wrapped potica is placed in a cake pan. The ends are neatly cut and the trimmed bits then shaped into small buns or dumplings. "Žlikrofi" Idrija is also home to a gastronomic speciality. The town and the surrounding area have been famous since the mid-19th century for idrijski žlikrofi. Idrijski žlikrofi are a national dish of Slovenia made from dough with a potato filling and a characteristic shape. Idrijski žlikrofi are served by some restaurants and farm tourism establishments. These can be identified by a distinctive yellow-andbrown signs with the inscription 'Traditional Food Served' and the logo of the Society for the Promotion and Protection of the Traditional Dishes of Idrija. Frozen idrijski žlikrofi can be found in supermarket freezers.
"Blejska kremĹĄnita" Almost as famous as the lake Bled island is the slovenian cream cake called Kremsnita. This famous slovenian Bled cream cake was invented by a hungarian, Istvan Lukacevic head chef of the hotel Park in 1953, and the recipe stayed the same till the current day. In 2009 they sold the 10th million cream cake. The original Bled cream cake can be ordered, and mostly eaten, in cafe Park, Park Hotel Bled, Slovenia.
"Prekmurska gibanica" This excellent, juicy and most widespread Slovenian dessert from Prekmurje is stuffed with poppy seeds, cottage cheese, walnuts and apples. It is trademarked as a foodstuff with an indication of traditional reputation and therefore can only be made under this name if the original protected recipe is respected in full.