National Dish of Slovenia Belokranjska Povitica

Ingredients

One of Slovenia’s most iconic dishes is Belokranjska Povitica. It is a cake similar to a strudel and it is traditionally made at family and village celebrations. This dish originated in southeastern Slovenia, in a village called Bela Krajina. There are sweet and savory versions of this dish.

Directions for Preparing Belokranjska Povitica

For the Dough:

1. Knead together the flour, egg, salt, apple cider vinegar, and water for ten (0:10) minutes.
2. Divide the ball of dough into four pieces.
3. Shape into balls, brush them with oil, and allow to rest for thirty (0:30) minutes.
4. Roll out the balls of dough into four very thin rectangles.
5. Trim and discard any thick edges, then allow to rest for fifteen (0:15) minutes before spreading the filling.

For the Filling

1. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with butter, sour cream, and milk.
2. Use a hand mixer to incorporate the eggs and either salt (for the savory version) or sugar (for the sweet version).
3. Mix until thick and creamy, then add raisins (for the sweet version) or pork cracklings (for the savory version).
4. Divide the filling and spread it evenly onto each of the stretched dough rectangles.
5. Roll each into long cylinders and tuck in the ends.
6. Grease a circular baking pan, then arrange the four rolls in a continuous spiral.
7. Brush the rolls with egg wash, then bake for thirty (0:30) minutes at 200 degrees F until golden brown.
8. Slice and serve.

Slovenia is a country in central Europe that was part of Yugoslavia for most of the 20th century. Slovenia is a small but topographically diverse country made up of portions of four major European geographic landscapes—the European Alps, the karstic Dinaric Alps, the Pannonian and Danubian lowlands, and hills, and the Mediterranean coast.

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