Toč with Prosciutto
The word “toči” in the Brda and Karst region refers to numerous sauces and goulash. Made for breakfast or dinner, they present an essential side dish to polenta, which is dipped (točáti) into them. Toč mostly contains meat, however in the past meatless toč was made and they were called “toč furbo”. The main ingredients of the latter were beans, eggs, onions, potatoes etc.
Ingredients:
● 2 tbsp olive oil
● Few slices of prosciutto (4 per person)
● Wine: Teran or Refošk (you can also add Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
● Polenta (cornmeal porridge)
● Salt
● 1 tbsp butter
For cooking polenta use the 3:1 ratio. On medium heat, put the water and pinch of salt in a pot and then add polenta, bring to boil, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Stir for a few minutes until starting to thicken, then turn down the heat to low. Stir through the butter. Fry prosciutto in olive oil for 3 minutes, add 1dcl of Slovenian red wine Teran and cook for a few minutes.
Ajdova kaša z gobami (Buckwheat Porridge with Mushrooms)
The Slovenian woods and meadows are extremely rich with mushrooms. Because of that, we have a wide variety of dishes based on mushrooms (soup, with meat, pasta, eggs, in risotto). Among them, buckwheat kasha has a prominent position, it is a pure harmony of flavours. It goes great with asparagus and you can always try your own version.
Ingredients:
● Buckwheat kasha (5dag/per person for starter)
● 30 dag fresh mushrooms (chantarelle, porcini – king bolete, penny bun)
● 1 small onion
● 3 garlic
● Oil or lard
● Salt
● Black pepper
● Thyme
● fresh parsley leaves
● 2 dcl vegetable soup stock
● 1 dcl white wine
● water
● Sour cream
● Lemon
Saute the sliced onion in a pan with oil or lard until soft. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add sliced mushrooms and quickly fry. Next add buckwheat kasha and gradually adding
the water or soup stock and some dry white wine so the buckwheat absorbs all the liquid. The kasha is ready after cca. 15 min of cooking. Spice the kasha with thyme, pepper, salt and sliced
parsley. As a final step mix sour cream, lemon juice and olive oil-this is easy and great sauce to lift up the flavours.
Štruklji
Štruklji is one of the most characteristic Slovenian foods, prepared in every geographical and gastronomic region of Slovenia, for both everyday and festive occasions. Štruklji are boiled,
steamed, baked or fried rolls of thinly stretched or rolled wheat, buckwheat, potato or pasta dough with filling, served either as sweet or savoury dish. Tarragon štruklji are typically
prepared in spring, cottage cheese štruklji in the summer, apple štruklji in the autumn, and walnut štruklji in winter. Over 80 different štruklji varieties are prepared in Slovenia and often
served as a symbol of hospitality.
Ingredients:
Dough:
● 20 dag white flour
● 1 egg
● 1 dcl warm water
● 3 tablespoon sunflower oil
● pinch of salt
● drop of vinegar or lemon juice
Sweet filling with Cottage Cheese:
● 3 tablespoon sour cream
● 25 dag cottage cheese
● 1 egg
● 3 tablespoon sugar
● 1 handful white breadcrumbs
Sweet filling with Cottage Cheese + Tarragon:
● 3 tablespoon sour cream
● 25 dag cottage cheese
● 1 egg
● 3 tablespoon sugar
● 1 handful white breadcrumbs
● Tarragon
Sweet filling with apples:
● 5 apples-sliced
● 1 lemon
● 3 tablespoon sugar
● 1 handful white breadcrumbs
● Cinnamon
STEP 1: Dough
Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour and add all the ingredients. Blend and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic – at least 10 minutes. Leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
STEP 2: Sweet feeling with cottage cheese
Mix in cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, sugar and breadcrumbs. If you want more taste, add finely chopped tarragon or raisins (raisins are better if you soak them in rum for 30 minutes).
STEP 3:
After 30 minutes, roll the dough out (as thin as you can-so you can read newspaper through) on a lightly floured board into a rectangle about 12 inches by 18 inches. Spread the filling over the
dough and roll it, starting at its long side, into a tight roll, much like a jelly roll.
STEP 4:
Place the roll on a clean white cloth or a double thickness of cheesecloth large enough to cover it. Wrap the roll in the cloth and tie the wrapping with string, sausage fashion. Put the roll into a
circle and drop it into a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil for 20 minutes, then carefully lift it from the pot. Unwrap the roll and keep it warm.
STEP 5:
For the topping, sauté bread crumbs in butter until golden brown. Slice the Štruklji into pieces 2 inches thick and top with buttered crumbs.
Dober tek! 🙂
