Slovene recipe
How to make Potica
potica
All of Slovenia, especially at Easter and Christmas
A festive rolled cake made from thin, yeasted dough spread with a filling, rolled up and baked in a round mould with a hole in the middle. The best-known filling is ground walnut, but tarragon, poppy seed, raisins and cottage cheese are also popular.
Ingredients
- For the dough: 500 g plain flour, 7 g dried yeast, 60 g sugar, a pinch of salt
- 250 ml warm milk, 2 egg yolks and 80 g soft butter
- For the filling: 400 g ground walnuts and 150 ml hot milk
- 100 g sugar, 3 tablespoons honey and 50 g melted butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 beaten egg for brushing
Method
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm milk, egg yolks and butter, and knead for about 10 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.
- For the filling, pour the hot milk over the walnuts, then stir in the sugar, honey, melted butter, cinnamon and lemon zest. Leave to cool.
- Roll the dough out on a floured cloth into a thin rectangle about 60 by 40 cm. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a narrow edge free.
- Roll the dough up tightly from the long side, using the cloth to help. Lay it in a buttered ring or bundt mould, press the ends together, cover and leave to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Brush with beaten egg and bake at 175°C for about 60 minutes, until deep golden. If the top browns too fast, cover it with foil. Cool before slicing.
Made it at home? Tick it off and it goes into your kitchen passport.
Primož Trubar mentioned it in writings from 1575 and 1577, and in 2021 making potica was added to Slovenia's national register of intangible cultural heritage.
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