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From Hands and Hearts

Slovenian Recipes in Australia

Dr Elizabeth Tomažič

Melbourne, 2011

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ContentsFrom Hands ... Our Recipes

Štajerska region 19‘Good Friday’ vegetable soup / Juha Velikega petka Betty Belec 21Gibanica from Štajerska / Štajerska gibanica Betty Belec 22Vanilla slice / Kremna rezina Marija Godec 24 Apple potica / Jabolčna potica Marta Jelenko 26Cheese potica / Sirova potica Marta Jelenko 26Vegetable soup / Zelenjavna juha Tilka Lenko 28Cabbage and onion in tomato sauce / Zelje in čebula v paradižnikovi omaki Tilka Lenko 29Fried and steamed potatoes / Tenstan (pražen) krompir Tilka Lenko 30Savoury ricotta cheese strudel / Sirovi štruklji Tilka Lenko 31Baked sweet ricotta cheese strudel / Pečen sladek sirov štrudel Tilka Lenko 34 Butter biscuits / Piškoti z maslom Tilka Lenko 36Honey and beekeeping / Med in čebelarstvo Valentin Lenko 38Beef soup with semolina noodles / Goveja juha z rezanci Anica Markič 44Beef goulash with polenta / Goveji golaž s polento Anica Markič 45Stuffed cabbage rolls / Sarme Rosie Pirc 46Vanilla almond crescents / Vaniljevi rogljički z mandelji Rosie Pirc 48Pancake soup / Juha z palačinkomi Magda Pišotek 49Baked ricotta pancakes / Pečene sirove palačinke Magda Pišotek 50Shrovetide doughnuts / Pustni krofi Angelca Povh 52 Walnut torte / Orehova torta Mila Remšnik 54Cheesecake / Sirov kolač Mila Remšnik 56Apple slice / Jabolčne rezine Mila Remšnik 57

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Koroška region 59Buckwheat žganci of Koroška / Koroški ajdovi žganci Fr Janez Tretjak OFM 61Cheese dumplings / Kuhani štruklji Fr Janez Tretjak OFM 62 Koroška mežerle / Mežerle Fr Janez Tretjak OFM 64Potato and horseradish gravy / Krompirjeva omaka in hren Fr Janez Tretjak OFM 65Yoghurt and cucumbers / Kislo mleko in kumarice Fr Janez Tretjak OFM 65Warm salad / Topla solata Fr Janez Tretjak OFM 65

Prekmurje region 67Pork with pickled turnip / Prekmurska bujta repa Tereza Žilavec 69

Dolenjska region 73Stuffed capsicums / Polnjene paprike Angela Čampelj 75Chicken soup with semolina ‘dumplings’ / Kokošja juha z zdrobovimi žličniki Jožica Gerden 77Roast chicken and vegetables / Kokošja pečenka z zelenjavo Jožica Gerden 78Honey cookies / Medenjaki Jožica Gerden 80Vanilla walnut crescents / Vaniljevi rogljički z orehi Jožica Gerden 82 Elder flower omelette / Bezgove cvrtje Jožica Gerden 83Boiled fruit cake / Sadni kolač Jožica Gerden 84Dandelion salad / Regratova solata Jožica Gerden 85Mixed green salad / Mešena zelena solata Jožica Gerden 86Potato and rice soup / Krompirjeva in riževa juha Jana Lavrič 87Corn bread / Koruzni kruh Jana Lavrič 88Buckwheat bread / Ajdov kruh Jana Lavrič 90 Potato gnocchi / Krompirjevi svaljki Jana Lavrič 93Beef soup with homemade noodles / Goveja juha z rezanci Ljubica Postružin 94Angel hair egg noodles / Angelski laski rezanci Ljubica Postružin 95Apple strudel / Jabolčni zavitek Ljubica Postružin 97Winemaking / Izdelava vina Darko Postružin 100“Everybody” cookies / Linčki Anica Smrdel 102Blood sausages Jože’s style / Jožetove krvavice Cilka and Jože Žagar 103Kransky sausages / Kranjske klobase Cilka and Jože Žagar 104

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Bela krajina region 105Bela krajina dumplings / Belokranjski štruklji Lojzka Kuhar 107Buckwheat roll / Ajdova potica Lojzka Kuhar 108Bread and bacon loaf / Fuline Lojzka Kuhar 110Cracklings potica / Ocvirkovka Julijana Kure 111Bread dumplings / Kruhovi cmoki Anica Šutej 112Tarragon potica / Pehtranova potica Anica Šutej 113Carob potica / Rožičeva potica Anica Šutej 114

Primorska region 117Danica’s famous jam cakes / Daničini marmeladni rogljički Danica Bizjak 119“Močenje” with Teran wine / Teranovo močenje Michael Colja 120Quick apple tart / Hitra jabolčna pita Marija Iskra 123Corn cake or Tito’s torte / Koruzno pecivo ali Titova torta Marija Kalčič 124Corn cake with fruit / Koruzno sadno pecivo Marija Kalčič 125Little cakes / Kolački Anica Kodila 126Apricot crepes / Marelične palačinke Anica Kodila 127Marble cake / Kuglov Anica Kodila 128Walnut slice / Orehova rezina Anica Kodila 129Potatoes with kransky and sauerkraut / Krompir na zelnici Vida Kravos 130Easter sweet bread plait / Menih (monk or friar) Vida Kravos 131Karst beefsteak / Kraški biftek Helena Leber 133Star biscuits / Zvezdice Marija Ovčak 134Tripe in tomato sauce / Vampi v paradižnikovi omaki Elda Svetina 135Mushroom risotto / Gobova rižota Elda Svetina 136Minestrone / Mineštra Danila Štolfa 137Sauerkraut soup / Jota Danila Štolfa 138Crumbed chicken pieces / Ocvrta kokoš Milka Tomažič 139Omelette / Šmorn Milka Tomažič 140Walnut potica / Orehova potica Milka Tomažič 141Plum dumplings with buttered croutons / Češpljevi cmoki Agata Tonc 143Potato filled dumplings / Žlikrofi Marija Uršič 145Sauerkraut soup with barley / Jota z ješprenjem Mary Žele 148

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Gorenjska region 149Buckwheat porridge with cracklings / Ajdovi žganci z ocvirki Francka Anžin 151Creamed spinach / Špinača s smetano Meta Lenarčič 153Cucumber salad / Kumare v solati Meta Lenarčič 154Potato salad / Krompirjeva solata Meta Lenarčič 155Ricotta gnocchi / Sirovi svaljki Meta Lenarčič 156Barbecued trout / Postrv na žaru Meta Lenarčič 158Baked jam dumplings / Buhteljni Lora Vičič 160

Ljubljana region 163Gibanica Lidija Čušin 165 Mushroom minestrone / Gobova (jurčki) mineštra Draga Gelt 166Vegetable soup / Šara Draga Gelt 168Savoury French toast / Ocvrte rezine Draga Gelt 169Bread dumplings / Kruhovi cmoki Draga Gelt 170 Potatoes with black radish salad / Krompir in črna redkev Draga Gelt 171Fresh horseradish salad / Hrenova solata Draga Gelt 171Gibanica from Prekmurje / Prekmurska gibanica Draga Gelt 172

From Hearts ... Our Stories Embracing a New Life in Australia 177Retaining Slovenian Traditions 187References and Further Reading 197Index 199About the Author 209

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3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced or diced3 potatoes, peeled and diced1½ litres cold water1 onion, peeled2 sprigs continental parsley1 chicken stock cube½ teaspoon Vegeta, to tasteBlack pepper

Betty BelecBetty came to Australia with her parents in the late 1960s when she was ten years old. In her 20s, she returned to Slovenia with her young family but came back 4½ years later. Her family’s favourite foods include chicken soup with homemade noodles, golaž, kisla juha and njoki. On Good Friday, Betty cooks this simple soup with no added oil or meat and it serves as the lunchtime meal.

Place vegetables and water into saucepan, cover with lid and bring to boil. Add the whole onion and parsley sprigs and let soup simmer until the vegetables are almost soft. Remove and discard onion and parsley. Add stock cube and seasoning to taste and simmer on a very low heat for another 10 to 15 mins. Serve as is.

‘Good Friday’ vegetable soup – Juha Velikega petka

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2 tablespoons olive oil2 onions, finely diced2 cloves garlic, finely chopped4 cups sliced cabbage ½ cup water2 tablespoons tomato paste1 teaspoon Vegeta1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (but any vinegar is okay)1 teaspoon sugar¼ teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely ground2 tablespoons gravy flour

Gently sauté onions and garlic in oil until transparent. Add cabbage, stir through and add the water, tomato paste and Vegeta. Simmer for 5 mins. Add the vinegar, sugar and pepper and stir through. Sprinkle with gravy flour, stir and simmer gently for another 5 mins.

Tilka LenkoVegetables, especially potatoes and cabbage, have always been an important part of Tilka’s family’s favourite meals, which include soups, roast meats, and barbecues.The vegetable combination can be changed to suit the family’s tastes, or to use up what is in the fridge. If you have a vegie garden, use seasonal vegetables.

Cabbage in tomato sauce - Zelje in čebula v paradižnikovi omaki

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Angelca PovhAngelca, from Haloze, arrived in Australia aged 25 with her fiancé. She cooked for the Mother Romana Home for several years until she retired. Angelca first learnt to make these doughnuts when she was 15. Throughout her years in Australia, she has won several prizes for her krofi at the Slovenian Association Melbourne. Although, traditionally made in Slovenia for Shrove Tuesday, these doughnuts can be enjoyed any time.

Shrovetide doughnuts - Pustni krofi4 tablespoons dried yeast1 teaspoon sugar2 tablespoons warm milkPinch of flour750 g plain flour250 g continental flour4 tablespoons sugar1½ tablespoons salt1 tablespoon vanilla sugar250 ml milk, or more if needed300 ml cream5 egg yolks 1 whole eggFinely grated rind of 1 lemon1 tablespoon rumCanola oil, for fryingJam (strawberry or apricot), for filling doughnutsExtra caster sugar and vanilla sugar, for dustingA piping bag is useful for filling doughnuts with jam

Place yeast, sugar, warm milk and pinch of flour into a small jug. Stir well and let it rest in a warm place to activate yeast. Sift flours twice into a large bowl. Add sugar, salt and vanilla sugar. Mix well.Warm the 250 ml milk to body temperature and add cream. Whisk in the egg yolks and whole egg. Add lemon rind and rum. Pour the yeast and the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Combine thoroughly. Tip mixture onto a floured board and knead it to a firm, elastic dough. Place dough into the large bowl with a clean dry tea towel over the top. Put it in a warm place so the dough will rise. When the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto the floured board and roll it out to one finger’s thickness. Using a cutter dipped in flour, cut out doughnuts. Cut one small piece to use to test oil temperature later. Place these doughnuts onto a clean dry cloth,

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Fr Janez Tretjak OFMFr Janez was born in Dovže, near Slovenj Gradec. He has been in Australia since 1980. Fr Janez has contributed several traditional Koroška recipes. Some of these, like the mežerle and the kuhani štruklji, are celebratory foods eaten on occasions such as weddings and koline (annual pig slaughter).

Buchwheat ‘žganci’ of Koroška - Koroški ajdovi žganci 500 g buckwheat flour750 ml boiling water1 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon oil, butter or margarineCracklings, to taste

Put the flour into a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir the dry flour over the heat until it becomes very warm. Add the boiling water and salt to the flour. Stir thoroughly until lumps form. Add oil, butter or margarine, mix well, cover and set aside in a warm place for ½ an hour.

Serve sprinkled with cracklings, if desired.

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Jože and Cilka Žagar Only the finest meat is used and, to get the best results, at least some of it should be cut up and diced by hand with a sharp knife. Two-thirds of the meat used should be lean and one-third fatty. The fat, preferably from the back, should be firm. Before they are smoked, the klobase have to hang for a few days in a dark, cool, draught-free place.

Quantity of pork meat: two-thirds lean meat, one-third fatty meatFor every 1 kg of meat, add: 30 g salt 1 g saltpetre (available from the butcher) 1 g peppercorns 80 ml water Garlic, crushed, to taste Sausage casings or intestines (bought from butcher)

Finely dice the fattiest part of the meat by hand. Finely dice about half of the remaining leaner meat by hand and mince the rest.

Add the salt, saltpetre and peppercorns to the diced and minced fat and meat mixture. Soak the crushed garlic in the cold water. Let it stand for an hour. Drain the garlic through a piece of cheesecloth or muslin over a bowl. Wring the cloth with garlic in it to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the garlic but add the water to the meat mixture.

Mix for at least 1/2 hour. Fill the intestine, forming it into sausages and hang them in a dark cool place for two days. Smoke in cool smoke for two days.

HintDo not freeze the klobase before

smoking them.

Kransky sausages - Kranjske klobase

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Lojzka KuharLojzka is from Štrekljevec pri Semiču and came to Australia in 1966. These delicious egg-filled štruklji are served as a type of large dumpling in a clear soup. Popular štruklji are one of the oldest Slovenian specialties, dating from the late 16th century. There are more than 100 different štruklji recipes. This one is named after the region of Bela krajina, from where the recipe originates.

Bela krajina dumplings - Belokranjski štrukljiPastry750 g plain flour¼ cup oilWarm, salted waterFilling1 tablespoon melted butter 4 eggs½ cup melted butter, extra 100 ml sour cream2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Combine flour, oil and enough salted water to consolidate it into a ball. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and not sticky. Set aside for 1/2 hour.Heat the tablespoon of melted butter in a medium frypan until it is foaming. Beat the four eggs and pour into the pan. Cook the scrambled eggs until they are done and set aside. Cover a table or bench top with a clean cloth and dust it lightly with flour. Roll out dough on the cloth. It should be evenly thin and cover quite a large area. Scatter scrambled eggs lightly across ¾ of the pastry. Pour extra melted butter over the rest of the pastry and spread sour cream over the top. Roll up the pastry tightly and cut the roll into 6-8 cm lengths. Place them gently into a simmering soup of choice and cook them for 20 mins. Serve one to two štruklji per bowl and ladle some hot soup over them. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

HintA simple soup can be made from

2 L water, 1 carrot, 1 onion and some parsley simmered together

for at least an hour. Remove all vegetables, season

with salt and pepper.

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Michael Colja Michael was born in Tomaj, Primorska, and came to Australia in 1966 as an 18 year old. He worked as a chef for 45 years. He studied in Izola. He worked at many top class restaurants, including Florentino’s, The Spanish Restaurant, Fanny’s and Jackson’s, receiving numerous awards and gaining much recognition and acclaim. He owned and cooked at Left Bank for 10 years, Cafe Greco for three years and Rosatti for three years.

‘Močenje’ with Teran wine - Teranovo močenjeA few thin slices of a good quality white bread2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered1 Spanish onion, thickly sliced1 cup extra virgin olive oil1½ cups Teran red wineA few leaves of salad greens, such as rocket, for garnish

Arrange a selection of eight tablespoons or large dessertspoons decoratively on a serving platter. Cut portions of bread, including some of the crust, to fit into the bowl of each spoon. On top of the bread arrange an egg quarter, a few slices of onion and a little greenery for garnish. Immediately prior to serving, drizzle the bread and toppings generously with extra virgin olive oil. Repeat this step with the red wine. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4 as an appetiser.Hint

This can be served with the ingredients arranged in a serving dish of choice

as an entrée for a more casual meal or BBQ, or on small

individual dishes as a more formal

entrée.

VariationSliced prosciutto can be substituted

for the hard-boiled eggs.Rye or other varieties of bread

(without grains) may be used.

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Walnut potica - Orehova poticaDough20 g dried yeast2 tablespoons lukewarm milk2 tablespoons plain flour1 teaspoon sugar7 cups plain flour1 teaspoon salt1 cup sugar2 cups milk1/3 cup oil½ cup melted butter8 egg yolks1 tablespoon vanilla essenceFinely grated rind of 1 lemonFilling300 ml cream600 g walnuts, finely ground½ cup softened butter1 cup sugar1 cup raisins, roughly chopped, soaked in rum (optional)1 teaspoon cinnamonFinely grated rind of 1 lemon

Place the yeast in a small bowl and add milk, flour and sugar. Stir to combine and allow to rise in a warm place. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, add the sugar and put aside. Bring the milk to boiling point and stir in the oil and butter. Allow to cool before adding egg yolks, vanilla essence and lemon rind.Add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix together. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk mixture. Mix thoroughly until it consolidates into a ball of dough. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise.Prepare the filling by bringing the cream to boiling point and pouring it over the walnuts. Stir in the butter and sugar. Add the rest of the filling ingredients except the egg whites.

Emilija (Milka) Tomažič

1 teaspoon salt8 egg whites, stiffly beaten with a pinch of sugar

Milka, like all other Slovenian women, has been making potica all her life. Her family enjoys it traditionally at Easter and Christmas.