In early 20th ct. almost all social classes would be drinking red wine (men) or tea (women) and serve liptauer, when hanging out with neighbours and friends. It was then sold in delicacy stores, and today you can prepare it yourself.
Bregovska pita is a Croatian cake made with 8 layers of stuffing. Layer of walnut, layer of apple, then layer of raisins and poppy seeds. And than all that all over again. Who could resist it. 🙂
Every home in Dalmatia and the coastal region has its own recipe for the fritters (also known as frite, fritule or pršurate). Common ingredients are flour, eggs, yeast, sugar, raisins and some brandy.
It is said that doughnuts arrived to Zagreb from Bavaria, through Vienna, in the 19th ct. and got the German name “krapfen”, which stuck till today. Golden yellow doughnuts represent the sweet joy of the carnival period.
While doughnuts are mostly prepared on the mainland during the carnival season, in Primorje and Dalmatia these are kroštule, krustule, krustavice (lat. crustulum – a cake, a sweet). Crunch pastry deep fried in oil is cut beforehand in strips and formed into bows, flowers, knots and similar. Kroštule sprinkled with powder sugar will go well next to tea or cooked wine.
Barley with beans (ričet) is a genuine winter dish. The combination of legumes and grains with root vegetables and smoked meat represent a complete meal. Complement it with homemade corn bread.
In Međimurje Stewed potato is called Kalapajsani kalamper. The term ‘kalapajsati’ is derived from ‘pajsati’ which means stewing, and ‘kalamper’ is a term used in Međimurje for potato. Enriched with onions and ground paprika it makes a delicious side-dish to roasted meat.
Pastry prepared from flour, butter and fresh cottage cheese, cut in circles. If they are well cooled before cutting, in the hot oven the pastry turns flaky. Yolk and caraway topping provides them with colour and flavour, and they go well with beer.
Fresh and not too ripe fruit is used for preparation of compote. During the preparation the fruit must maintain its shape, colour and aroma. Simple, fast and refreshing dessert ready in less than half an hour.
At the time of poverty people were quite inventive in creating simple recipes from available and cheap ingredients. This recipe that is more than 60 years old is a part of a cookbook from one middle-class Zagreb family, and now you can also enjoy the simplicity of its preparation.
