(This post was last modified: 12-12-2015, 06:49 AM by ShadowsDad.)
Poppy seed is one variation. Yes, my mom made that also. But in my old age I just make what I prefer and I was always partial to the walnut. I do plan to make a variation that was never made in the old country... pecan and maybe hazelnut. I expect prune was another old world variation. *
The potica is the most difficult but I haven't posted a recipe for it. There are plenty on the 'net. Anyone can make the no-knead bread and I do mean anyone. But the results are far better than what you can imagine. I'm a fairly accomplished baker and it has become my go to loaf.
The dinner rolls are extremely easy, but are a hair more involved than basic white bread. But neither of which is difficult.
If anyone wants sandwich rolls/hamburger buns just say the word. It's another recipe that's a hair more difficult than white bread, but if one can make dinner rolls the sandwich rolls use the same basic techniques. Once one learns the basics many recipes use them or variations of the same techniques. Bread is easy. Potica is bread, it's just a sweet bread.
* Why do I write that? OK, we need to understand todays really good food. It's all variations and derivatives of peasant food **. The "nobles" had meat and such and really horrible dietary problems. The peasants had a much better healthful diet when they had food, and their recipes have survived over the hundreds of years. Sure there are a few recipes that were made for rulers but they are fairly new and not at all many in comparison. But if one traces back the origins of most really good wholesome recipes that we make today, it goes back to food that the peasants ate. Peasants had dried fruits such as prunes and apricots. I would also expect an apricot variation of potica, but I've never seen it. That also explains the nut potica. When the wind was howling and nothing could be done outside, the gathered nuts could be shelled for the holiday potica bread. It was something special in the darkest time of the year and quite special. That time would also include the use of dried fruits; things made from storage foods. Could I make potica at any time of the year? Of course. But I prefer to follow what the peasants did hundreds of years ago to keep the bread special for the holidays and the darkest time of the year. It's a sort of spirit lifter or at least I like to think of it that way.
** of course there are modern dishes that have no connection to peasantry. I'm discussing traditional dishes and not those.
Brian. Lover of SE razors.
I am still hungry by the way.
