3
croatian Gastronomy
introduction
or thousands of years bc the tribal communities centred round
Vuèedol used an extremely precise calendar which enabled
them to engage effectively and successfully in agriculture.
On the island of Vis there are traces of grape vine which
have been cultivated from pre-Christian times, right up to
the present day.
The oldest coin to be found on the island of Hvar bears
on the reverse side a depiction of a bunch of grapes, and
on the obverse side the image of Homer – the poet who
extolled their virtues in verse.
Officers of ancient Rome gladly became gourmands once
they discovered the riches of the Cetina region bequeathed
to them by the gods: trout, river crabs, frogs, game and fertile
land. Instead of the usual temporary camp they created a
permanent settlement on the hills along the Cetina River.
A thousand years ago, top quality chefs, who were equally
expert in Oriental and Western cuisines, were a key element
of the crews aboard the ships of Dubrovnik which sailed
the Mediterranean and the oceans. From Istria to Konavle,
Croats have been safeguarding dozens of centuries-old olive
trees which still bear fruit to this day. Roman emperors
planted olive groves in Istria because they considered the
area as being the best for cultivation of superior olives.
Also, recipes from the Viennese court were being prepared
f
Each croatian
tourist rEGion is
a sourcE of hiGh
quality cuisinE,
rEGardlEss of
whEthEr thE
offErEd dish is
of polEnta madE
from whitE maizE
or a phEasant
patE flavourEd
with frEsh
istrian trufflEs.
Croatian
Gastronomy
invaluable significance; a high percentage of Croats fear that
Brussels bureaucracy would not look kindly upon the ancient
habits and customs practiced by thousands of small family
producers, the very ones who enable Croats to enjoy hundreds
of superb dishes prepared throughout our country.
Preservation and advancement of that wonderful heritage
of our forefathers is, for Croats and the numerous national
minorities who have lived here for a long time, a task which
carries with it the very significance of survival. From the
holdings of our farmers, from our meadows, forests, streams,
rivers and the sea, in every season of the year there arrives to
the Croatian markets a myriad of produce and products: fruit,
vegetables, wild edible plants, herbs, fungi, fresh and saltwater
fish, shellfish, crabs, molluscs, snails, frogs, game, fresh meat,
sausages, salamis, hams and proscuittos, breads, rolls and
cakes; and they never fail to surprise gourmands and con-
noisseurs from all over the world. Not by quantity – Croatia
is, as we have said, a small country – but with their incredible
variety. Amidst this wealth of choice one can select foodstuffs
and dishes that stand shoulder to shoulder with the finest
in the world, forming the basis of our national gastronomy
which the world has yet to discover in its full glory, aroma and
flavour. Bearing in mind its real potentials, very little is indeed
known in the world about Croatia's gastronomy. This is why
we are working on a strategy.
Croatia will not amaze anybody with the quantities of food
produced here. In the Croatian waters of the Adriatic there
are relatively small numbers of fish and other sea creatures.
But it is the story of the Adriatic which is typical of Croatia’s
gastronomy: neither the sea nor the seabed is overcrowded
by massive numbers, but the variety of species living here is
quite something. From a culinary standpoint this wealth gains
another, yet more distinct quality: the frutti di mare of the
Adriatic are deemed to be among the most delectable in the
world. Pilchard, sand smelt, anchovy, tuna, dentex, gilthead,
John Dory, red mullet, scampi, sea spider, lobster, oyster, scal-
lops, calamari, squid... In the right hands all of them can be
transformed into a feast fondly remembered with pleasure
even by those who have enjoyed feasts all over the world.
Croatia neither can nor should compete with the large food
producers. Here, the holdings are fragmented; fields, barns and
fishing boats are small. This situation, which for decades has
been a serious national problem, is now proving to be a first class
potential. In Croatia, chickens do indeed peck in courtyards,
eating what nature provides; here, sheep do graze aromatic
herbs; tuna fish feed on live pilchards in clear seas, and in forests
wild strawberries happily grow in the company of mushrooms –
until bears discover them and have themselves a feast...
Viewed against water resources throughout the world,
Croatian waters, fresh and salt, standing and running, sur-
face or underground, are all well preserved. The soil is not
contaminated with heavy metals, nor is it exhausted by
over-intensive agriculture. The air is considerably cleaner
than in the majority of other European countries, and people
are being brought up, and are therefore accustomed to, a
traditional cuisine of first-rate nutritious properties, not only
in the Mediterranean part of the country but in its vales in
the north and in the mountain area extending between the
coastal region and the Pannonian plain.
To savour a pogaèa (round, unleavened bread) made from
ancient varieties of grain from Meðimurje, salted by salt har-
vested on the Dalmatian islands is in itself a gastronomic expe-
rience fit to start a culinary feast in Croatia. An experienced
connoisseur can follow the intricate paths of Croatian cuisine,
and they will lead him from the rural origins, via folk tradition,
to the intelligent concepts of brilliant young cooks in their fine
restaurants. What a challenge for a palate worthy of its name!
With this publication we aim to outline the gastronomic
routes through Croatia which are of particular interest, or
rather those which lead to singular culinary pleasures.
The tourist map of Croatia divides the country into tourist
regions. Each is a source of high quality cuisine, regardless of
whether the offered dish is a polenta made from white maize,
which takes hours of gentle cooking and stirring in a cauldron
over an open fire in the old- fashioned hearth of a household
that earns its living through agro-tourism, or a pheasant paté
flavoured with fresh Istrian truffles made for the exclusive
festival of high gastronomy called The Golden Truffle. First rate
foodstuffs and ways of preparing them can be found throughout
the land, and the charm of getting to know them, from one
cluster to another, lies in the rich and colourful varieties found
regionally and locally.
5
croatian Gastronomy
introduction
by cooks attending to the gastronomic needs of the nobility
and other wealthy households in northern Croatia.
Napoleon’s cooks introduced many of their culinary secrets
to their Croatian counterparts, and they are still with us today
– the mustard and bermet, i.e. vermouth, of Samobor being
two of the most famous examples. It has to be pointed out,
however, that those French cooks did not find any absence of
culinary skills, indeed quite the contrary; in most cases the
local population simply added a “French touch” to some of
their existing recipes. For instance, mustard is mentioned in
Gazophylacium, the famous Latin-Croatian dictionary by Ivan
Belostenec, completed in 1674.
Italians have managed to convince a good part of the
world that hundreds of their regional dishes deserve a place
at the peak of world gastronomy. However, at the begin-
ning of the last century they themselves claimed that the
best Italian dishes are prepared in Dalmatia, where a great
culinary tradition makes use of first-class ingredients.
In the course of its travels from Persia, via Turkey
to Croatian lands, a journey which took thousands of
kilometres and hundreds of years to
complete, the recipe for æevap or kebab
was being constantly improved until it
reached absolute perfection. And all that
together with many other great dishes
and culinary procedures.
Hungarians who came to settle in
Podravina, Meðimurje, Slavonia and
Baranja are masters of dishes prepared
in small cauldrons, delicacies which rep-
resent the essence of the identity of
Hungarian cuisine.
Today’s Croatia, a small Alpine,
Pannonian,
Danube-basin
and
Mediterranean country, grows all the
same types of grape that are grown in
the much larger France! Also, in small
Croatia more varieties of the most highly
valued truffles can be found than in that
same France, including the white Tuber magnatum (pico),
which is most sought after. For years now micologists have
been trying to compile a definitive list of edible fungi that
are autochthonous in Croatia, but the task is so extensive
that they have yet to complete it. The Croatian Adriatic is
not renowned for its great quantities of fish, crabs, shellfish
and molluscs, but it is renowned for its rich variety of seafood.
Indeed, it is claimed by many that some of that seafood, such as
scampi and oysters from particular localities, are the best in
the world. Those are subjective assessments; objective scien-
tific findings have quite definitely shown that the concentra-
tion of elements in the Marasca black/sour cherry, grown in
the surroundings of Zadar, make it superior to any other type
of black/sour cherry in the world - which is more than amply
proved by Maraschino, the famous liqueur of Zadar.
The varieties of small Mediterranean breeds of sheep
scattered across the Adriatic islands, throughout the coastal
areas and coastal hinterland, are in themselves a source of
ultimate culinary pleasures and an excellent paradigm of the
peaks of Croatian gastronomy: those breeds are small, some
of them even the smallest in the Mediterranean, and their
milk yield is equally small due to meagre but exquisitely aro-
matic grazing. On the other hand, however, their meat, milk
and the cheese produced from it are delectable indeed.
Croatia cannot compete in quantities and yields of fruit,
vegetables, fungi, fish, crabs, meat, cheese or honey with
the large world producers. But then, it has no need to.
The incredible variety and surprising quality of ingredients,
food-stuffs, dishes and processed products offered by these
climes and tradition are in themselves a world monument
of culture with which one must become familiar with, nur-
ture, preserve, respect and above all savour and enjoy.
Hence, the Croatian National Tourist Board will make
it an ongoing project to systematically research and present
Croatian national gastronomy to the world public in the
deeply held belief that, alongside natural attractions and
cultural heritage, it is the country’s national gastronomy
that represents an outstanding Croatian attraction. It is not
enough to learn about it only in its summer version – all four
season offer equally exquisite gastronomic experiences.
It can be safely said that Croatia is, so to speak, “on the
boil”; agricultural experts and strategists of food production
are undertaking a comprehensive inventory, and preparing
a national strategy for the country’s road to the European
Union. All edible treasures must be listed, described and pro-
tected as much as possible so as to ensure their survival within
the strictly applied European rules. This is a massive task of
Cultivation of certain
varieties of grape
on the island of
Vis dates back to
pre-Christian times.
dalmatia –
zadar
liKa -
Karlovac
20-23
16-19
dalmatia –
ŠiBEniK
24-27
slavonia 36-39
cEntral
croatia
40-43
dalmatia –
split
28-31
dalmatia –
duBrovniK
32-35
city of
zaGrEB
44-53
local BrEEds of shEEp arE rEnownEd for thEir
mEat with an ExquisitE tastE, rEsultinG from thE
quality of GrazinG - aromatic, and mEdical mEditEr-
ranEan hErBs, and thE nEar vicinity of thE sEa
which imparts a portion of its salt to thE land.
this comBination lEnds thE mEat of thEsE animals
a vEry spEcial flavour.
istria 6-11
12-15
KvarnEr
4
croatian Gastronomy
stria is the first Croatian region which has long been visited by special
type of guest: those who regard gastronomy either as the most important,
or as one of the very important, reasons for travelling. The consequence
of a process in which guests visiting the Istrian coast began to "discover"
its interior, completely removed from large tourist complexes and similar
urban interventions. Istria’s interior was, in that respect, a virgin land and
is, in fact, described in monographs written today as Terra incognita, as
the ancient cartographers used to describe an unknown, unexplored land.
The coast and the interior of Istria were, indeed are, complementary not
only in the magnificent landscapes and a dramatic change of atmosphere,
but they also formed and form a unique gastronomic entity combining
the sea food provided by the Mediterranean with its hinterland. Frutti
di mare of exquisite quality were rounded off by
produce from gardens, orchards, vineyards and
forests in the peninsula’s interior. As a whole, the
gastronomy of Istria presents itself as one of com-
plete harmony, characterized first and foremost
by traditional folk and urban cuisine offered in
numerous pubs, inns and cellars.
Istria was also the area in which the first truly
luxurious restaurants in Croatia opened their
doors. Tourist guides published by the Tourist
Board of the County of Istria were the first to
start a systematic and reliable exploration and
follow-up, as well as offering encouragement for
the development of quality catering establish-
ments. Concurrently, the well organized Istrian
wine growers began to set up clear criteria for
wine roads, and soon the whole of Istria was criss-
crossed with such roads.
As a gastronomic entity Istria is a phenomenon
of world ranking. Its folk cuisine is a centuries-old
response, on the one hand to economic depriva-
tion, and on the other to the abundant generosity
of nature and the great culinary models of the
nearby Italian provinces. Simple popular dishes
again seem very modern: omelettes (locally known
i
TourisT Board of The CounTy
of isTria
Pionirska 1, 52440 Poreč
tel.: +385 52 452 797
fax: +385 52 452 796
E-mail: info@istra.hr
www.istra.hr
7
croatian Gastronomy



as one of complete harmony,
characterized first and foremost by traditional folk and urban cuisine offered
in numerous pubs, inns and cellars. as a gastronomic entity istria
is a phenomenon of world ranking. its folk cuisine is a centuries-old response,
on the one hand to economic deprivation, and on the other to the
abundant generosity of nature and the great culinary models of the nearby
italian provinces.
01
istria
T h e g a s T r o n o m y o f i s T r i a p r e s e n T s i T s e l f
9
The mainstay of Istrian catering, and the guarantee of a
good atmosphere, is the range of simple house wines - and
wine has for centuries been the medium of socializing. In
Istrian pubs people still enjoy the Istrian supa, served in a
bukaleta (a ceramic jug): gently warmed red wine, most
often teran or borgogna, is poured into a bukaleta, a slice
of freshly toasted bread is added, together with few drops
of olive oil, a spoon of sugar and a pinch of freshly ground
pepper. The jug is passed around the table with wine being
drunk, actually sipped, through the bread, which makes it
extremely drinkable.
Istrian supa is a custom typical of small village and town
oštarije, or if you will, pubs. Atmosphere in those establish-
ments is created first and foremost by an open fireplace
which, although frequently set into a corner, is the social
hub of the place; food is cooked on it, meat sizzles on its
metal grids; people really love to gather around, particularly
in winter time.
Ombolo is the king of a menu prepared in such fireplaces.
Slightly smoked pork loin is sliced and grilled over the
charcoal. It is often served with sauerkraut, and in combi-
nation with Istrian sausage.
t r u f f l E s
It is quite usual that mystery stories are spun about truf-
fles before they are accepted as a part of local cuisine.
Istria was no different. It was only at the beginning of
the last century that Istrians realized what a gastronomic
jewel they had at their disposal. Several excellent types
of truffles grow in Istria almost the year round, while the
most treasured one, the white truffle or Tuber magnatum
pico, a kilo of which can fetch more than 3000 euro, come
to the market in the autumn. The truffle season lasts up to
the end of the year.
The main site of this undoubtedly most expensive food-
stuff is the famous Motovun forest, located alongside the
Mirna River, at the foot of the mount upon which rises
the magnificent little town of Motovun. World experts
have still not decided how
the famous truffle from
Alba came to have a
twin of equal quality in
Motovun and several
other smaller habitats
through Istria. But
chEEsE madE
from Goat milK
is EspEcially
dElicious whEn
flavourEd with
trufflE.
omBolo- a BonEd
porK loin first
BriEfly smoKEd
and thEn GrillEd
ovEr hot coals.
croatian Gastronomy
briefly smoke dried boned pork loin, and game both large
and small.
The interest that everyday Istrian cuisine began to
generate in recent decades, not only among guests from
other parts of Croatia but also among those beyond our
borders, gave rise to the development of agrotourism, a
catering industry in rural homesteads based on produce
from the homestead itself. Today, agrotourism is the
key gastronomic feature of the interior of Istria with a
range of dishes no longer restricted to a dozen or so of
the most typical. Alongside the standard range on offer
many households are now expanding their production
of high quality home grown foods, and we now have, for
instance, small family game breeding farms. Most usual
is the feathered variety, but in Istria it is not surprising
to find a wild boar being kept in a pen, as is the case in
Pladnjaki. In such cases village tourism can offer such
delicacies as ombolo, prosciutto and sausages produced
from such game.
8
croatian Gastronomy
Agrotourism is the key gastronomic feature of the interior of this
peninsula. It is based on rural holdings offering quality, home-
cooked food served in a homely and intimate atmosphere.
thE woods around
thE anciEnt and
EnchantinG, tiny
towns of motovun
and Grožnjan, are
rEplEtE with all
Kinds of mush-
rooms which lEnd
thEmsElvEs rEadily
to a variEty of
dElicious dishEs.
01 istria
owinG to thEir natural BEauty and archaEoloGi-
cal localities, the Brijuni archiPelaGo, just off
the town of Pula, enjoys the status of a nation-
al parK.
wild asparaGus Grows all ovEr thE
northEn part of istria in thE sprinG-
timE.
pasta sprinKlEd with GratEd trufflEs,
whitE or BlacK, form a part of thE
mEnu of almost EvEry rEstaurant.
risottos of EvEry imaGinaBlE Kind - from
thE rEd onE madE with radiccio, to thE
BlacK onE with squid inK - arE anothEr
istrian spEcialty not to BE missEd.
as fritaja), practically a trade mark of Istrian cuisine, are a
clear demonstration of this. Based first and foremost on
good free-range eggs, cooked to perfection, or if you will a
point, to use the gastronomic patois. Added to the omelettes
is one, or at most two ingredients, whose taste is a domi-
nant one in the dish, and the selection of
which is dictated by the season, as is the
case in particular with wild asparagus. In a
nutshell, Istrian fritaja with wild asparagus
is a popular dish which meets all the crite-
ria of modern-day high cuisine.
Maneštra, or as some would say min-
estrone, is also a part of Istrian culinary
tradition. Boiled potatoes and beans,
with the addition of seasonal vegeta-
bles which give this particular dish its
name: maneštra with sweet corn, bar-
ley, chick-peas, fennel; when combined
with sauerkraut and turnip it is called
yota. Specific characteristics of Istrian
maneštra is pešt – finely chopped bacon,
parsley and garlic. Thus prepared, paste
is added at the commencement of cook-
ing in order to ensure that the bacon is
thoroughly cooked.
Folk, urban and fine cuisines catering
in Istria overlap and intertwine, which
is no wonder since they are all based on gastronomic
icons such as indigenous forms of pasta made from top
quality flour; then there are oysters, sea spiders, the
best of deep sea fish, white and black truffles and other
mushrooms, wild asparagus, Istrian prosciutto, pancetta,
a specially cured bacon, sausages and ombolo, spiced and
Oysters from the
Lim channel are
a renowned
specialty of the
Northern Adriatic.
i s t r i a n p a s t a a n d
i t s p i c t u r E s q u E
G a r n i s h i n G s
In the course of its journey from Italy towards Istria both
names and forms of pasta changed, eventually being trans-
formed into authentic features of Istrian cuisine. Lovers of
Italian pasta could probably become confused by the Istrian
lasagna. They are not in fact rectangular sheets of pasta laid
one on top of another with sauce in between, but simply wide
strip noodles, a shape which makes them suitable for different
dishes, including making tasty nests for white truffles.
The best known Istrian pasta is fui, small squares of pasta
diagonally rolled into tubes. Flour, salt and water are mixed
into smooth dough which is rolled into a thin sheet, cut into
4x4cm squares, the opposite corners of which are folded
towards the middle and pressed so as to stick together.
Suitable for a variety of dishes, fui are most often found
as a welcoming starter to gvacet – delectable Istrian goulash,
i.e. pieces of meat in a thick gravy - chicken version is very
popular and widespread, as well as all kinds of larger game.
The favourite pasta in Sveti Vinæent and its surroundings are
pljukanci, small, spindle-shaped pieces of dough, most appreciat-
ed when served with pieces of prosciutto and wild asparagus, or
with gravy made with sausage or of mushroom, locally known as
martinèica or, if you will, Clitocybe geotropa. But it is also quite suf-
ficient to sprinkle this excellent pasta with good grated cheese
– particularly if it comes from the nearby village of Šikuti. There,
one can chance on a very strong cheese, made of a mixture of
sheep and goat milk, but which is not easy to find.
Home-made pasta is highly appreciated in Istria, but there
11
croatian Gastronomy
istria is onE of thE BEst placEs for
olivE GrowinG and for thE produc-
tion of top quality olivE oil.
fritaja, i.e., an omElEttE with aspara-
Gus, is a delicacy enjoyed in istrian
homEs
The largest truffle ever, weighing
almost 1.5 kg, was found in
Istria's Motovun woods.
01
supa, or istrian
soup, sErvEd in a
BuKalEta: rEd winE
with a slicE of
toastEd BrEad, a
pinch of salt and
pEppEr, and a fEw
drops of olivE
oil, is drunK from
ceramic juGs.
BuzEt, a small,
old town situatEd
inland, cElEBratEs
thE BEGinninG
of thE trufflE
sEason with a
GiGantic omElEttE.
istria
the international gatherings of experts and thematic gas-
tronomic presentations entitled Golden truffle held in the
Marino restaurant in Kremelje, near Momjan, arrived at
a clear conclusion: the white truffle of Istria is in no way
inferior to those from Alba! Indeed, an American jour-
nalist discovered that many “truffles from Alba” actually
originate in Istria.
At the special presentation of haute
cuisine held in the Valsabbion restau-
rant not far from Pula, Bruno Clement,
the renowned French culinary wizard,
also known as the King of Truffles,
publicly confirmed that conclusion in
the autumn of 2003. The largest white
truffle ever found, weighing almost a
kilogram-and-a-half, was found in the
Motovun forest.
Until recently the Istrian white truf-
fle was unknown on the world stage of
luxury gastronomy. It was reaching fine
restaurants of the world through smug-
gling, and was served either without its
origin being given, or was being falsely
presented as Italian. Today, Istrians no
longer wish to smuggle, or even export
their truffles. But neither do they want
to save them for themselves. It’s not
that they don’t like them, they want even more to be
able to offer them to those true connoisseurs of this
magical fungus who come to visit the small corner of the
world from which this delicacy originates.
Traditional Istrian dishes prepared with
truffles are very simple, particularly
when the best, the white truf-
fle is being used. Nothing
should be allowed
to impair its
majestic gastronomic presence. Right at table, right
before the guest, a small amount of truffle is grated
over freshly cooked pasta, Istrian fui (somewhat
similar in shape to Italian garganeli) or
gnocchi, and there you have it!
Omelette, or fritaja with
truffles is served in a
similar way.
Until very recently
the white truffle of
Istria was unknown
by the elite gastro-
nomy of the world.
EvEn thE roman EmpErors who Build thE amphi-
thEatrE in pula considErEd that thE arEa of
istria was BEst for thE cultivation of supErior
olivEs.
a widE ranGE of trufflE variEtiEs
Grows in istria all yEar round.
are a number of small producers who have earned a fine
reputation among connoisseurs of good pasta.
m a n e š t r a o d B o B i ć i
( m i n E s t r o n E w i t h s w E E t c o r n )
The best known of the thick stews in Istria is the famous
maneštra od bobiæi, yet another example of how a great
dish can be born out of privation. After all, its main
ingredient is a prosciutto bone, and tradition has it that
it was used more than once, even borrowed from house
to house. Young sweet corn, potatoes, red beans, garlic,
celery leaf, pepper and panceta (specially cured meaty
bacon) or at least its rind – these are the ingredients that
go to make this stew, in addition to the prosciutto bone,
of course. Maneštra of bobiæi, cooked slowly over a gentle
heat, is now once again as popular as it was so long ago
when some anonymous genius created it.
13
croatian Gastronomy
nd these are only some of the attractions, to which we must add snails, frogs,
honey, and for many the highest ace of Croatian gastronomy, lamb in all
its delectable variations, from Pag, Cres, Krk, Rab and other areas... This is
also the area where the best scampi in the Adriatic are caught and prepared.
Among the many compliments given to them is that which claims no other
scampi in the world can compare to them!
It is therefore logical that with such ingredients it was here in the
Kvarner cluster that modern Croatian cuisine was being created in the
second half of the 20th century. Today, some of the leading restaurants
in our country, given a prominent place in the leading world guides, can
be found here.
m a r u n i
Growing in the foothills of Uèka, is the famous
chestnut tree known as Lovranski marun, that is,
the marron of Lovran, whose fruit is most com-
monly eaten roasted. Come their season sometime
in October Lovran holds its traditional festivity,
Marunada, when gastronomy is devoted to the sweet
chestnut. In the streets they are eaten roasted, but in
restaurants a range of dishes both sweet and savoury,
including chestnut soup, are prepared.
f r o G s
Although frogs of excellent quality are found in
several locations throughout Croatia, the inhab-
itants of Lokve in Gorski kotar are renowned for
their particular fondness for frogs. These are best
towards the end of April, during the abarska
noæ (Night of Frogs) when the finest frog is
“elected” and when some very specific dishes
can be savoured, particularly “frogs a la Lokve”:
frog legs stewed with snails and local wild mush-
rooms, served with boiled potatoes or polenta.

d o r m o u s E
Few people outside the Kvarner area know that
TourisT Board of The CounTy
of primorje - gorski koTar
n. tesle 2, p.p. 52, 51410 opatija
tel.: +385 51 272 988
fax: +385 51 272 909
E-mail: kvarner@kvarner.hr
www.kvarner.hr
for a detailed list of county tourist
Boards, please refer to page 54.

is a site of most varied opportunities. from the
mountain of učka in the direction of dalmatia, it is a continuation of istria. the
largest croatian islands (cres and Krk) form a part of this cluster, as do the
mountain massifs in the regions of Gorski kotar. first class fish, crabs and other
frutti di mare are readily available in the markets, side by side with “frutti di
forest”: mushrooms, wild fruit, game, and to round if all off here one can savour
some of the best cheeses in this country, made from cow, sheep and goat milk
from the livestock grazing on mountain, coastal and island meadows.
02
kvarner
T o T h e C u r i o u s g a s T r o n o m e k v a r n e r
a
the dormouse is the gastro-specialty of this region. Today,
the uninitiated tend to look at them askance, but recipes
for their preparation can be found as
long ago as Apicius’ collection of recipes.
Nowadays, their flesh is mostly fried or
spit-roasted. The most delectable of all
is a young dormouse cooked over char-
coal, sometimes coated with corn flour.
Older ones are prepared in goulash and
served with polenta. Dormouse is served
in Kastav, Liganj, Lovranska Draga...
On Whit Sunday (one week after St.
Michael’s Day, September 29th) when
the hunting season opens the dormouse
becomes a gastronomic delicacy of the
first order.
u d i č
Salted leg of an older lamb or a sheep is
hung to dry in the bora (north wind), and
sometimes allowed to smoke for a brief
period. On Cres, leg of lamb thus pre-
pared is called udiè and is one of the
lesser known pearls of Croatian rural
gastronomy. The same method is also
practised around Dubrovnik, particularly
in Konavle.
G r o B n i č k i s i r
Grobnièki sir, or cheese from the Grobnik range, is produced
from milk of sheep which graze on the mountain meadows
of Gorski kotar, in the villages above the Grobnik range.
This large cylinder cheese does not come in any uniform
shape since it is shaped by hand, without pressing. It can
weigh up to 20 kg. This is a distinctly salty cheese, which is
why in Rijeka they call it just that: salty cheese.
c h E E s E s o f t h E
K v a r n E r i s l a n d s
Grazing on the north Adriatic islands is very distinct, and
it yields a readily identifiable aromatic sheep milk. On the
island of Krk, people produce a small cheese weighing less
than half a kilo, locally known as formajela. Around Vrbnik
it is usually spherical, while above Baška it is square. If not
sold in its fresh form it is kept in olive oil for up to a year.
On the islands of Cres and Lošinj, cheese is larger and usu-
ally with a higher fat content. Sometimes it is coated with the
residue of olives which remains after the oil has been pressed out
of them, and sometimes, although more rarely, it is smoked.
On the island of Rab cheeses are made still larger.
These cheeses can weigh over two kg, and are consider-
ably harder than the cheese produced on the more north-
erly islands of Kvarner.
m i n e š t r a o f k o r o m a č a
Thick vegetable soups were, to a great degree, born out of
poverty, but that is precisely the reason why they are such
excellent examples of folk culinary genius, particularly in the
areas along the coast and on the islands. The old recipe used
on Lošinj is one such example of a dish which once was a
pauper’s meal but is today being sought after by knowledge-
able connoisseurs. Potato and soaked beans are cooked until
the soup reaches the desired thickness; carrots, parsley and
garlic are added, followed by finely chopped panceta (meaty
bacon) and finally, young shoots of koromaè, (fennel) to
imbue the dish with its wonderful, aromatic fragrance.
Š u r l i c E
The inhabitants of the island of Krk take great pride in
their indigenous type of pasta, šurlice. It is not unlike the
Istrian fui, but more elongated and thinner, and is most
often served with thick meat gravies or frutti di mare sauces.
When a dish is prepared with lamb, as in Baška or, for
special occasions, with game, a palatable everyday meal
becomes a memorable gastronomic experience. The cus-
tom of preparing šurlice in catering establishments has also
been preserved in Dobrinj, a charming small town in the
interior of the island of Krk.
lamBs rEarEd
on thE islands
of thE northErn
adriatic, and
from thE hintEr-
land of vElEBit,
arE spit-roastEd
in many rEstau-
rants found
alonGsidE thE
road.
thE maroni, or
rathEr, swEEt
chEstnuts,
arE BEst EatEn
roastEd.
kvarner
15
14
croatian Gastronomy
a dElicacy madE of thin pastry and
fruit.
frEshly picKEd BluEBErriEs, rasBEr-
riEs, BlacKBErriEs, wild strawBEr-
riEs, currants…
a sEa-Bass fillEt in a saucE of
rosEmary and whitE winE
First class fish, crabs and other frutti di mare are
readily available in the markets, side by side with
“frutti di forest”: mushrooms, wild fruit, game...
croatian Gastronomy
02
it is in this arEa that thE BEst scampi of thE
adriatic arE cauGht and prEparEd.
BrodEtto
prEparEd
with anGlEr,
is a spEcialty
madE from
fish, onions,
tomatoEs,
carrots and
winE, and is a
vEry popular
dish up and
down thE coast.
thE huGEly
apprEciatEd
caKEs and
othEr dEsErts
madE of thE
maroni, or
rathEr swEEt
chEstnut of
lovran
Frutti di
mare and
fish are a
dominant
feature in
restaurants
along the
shores.
17
croatian Gastronomy
ountaineering, recreational tourism linked to mountain streams, rivers
and lakes (notably, rafting, canoeing and canyoning), mountain cycling,
numerous paths through the protected environments of national parks
and nature parks – which include the world renown Plitvice Lakes – have
made Lika a delightfull discovery even for Croatian tourists.
The centuries of neglect are now proving themselves to have been the
guardians of an exceptional comparative advantage that the wide expanse
of pristine nature has to offer. Among other things, the appreciation for
the local gastronomy is growing at a pace. The selection of rustic tradi-
tion is presenting itself in the new light, indeed, it is being seen in the
new light. Aimed at a true connoisseur – its recipes not being the result
of the chef’s tricks of the trade but of the top quality food-stuffs that
meet the highest of ecological standards – this
gastronomy is based on indigenous, wild growing
plants, particularly mushrooms and fruit of the
forest. Up to now the vast majority of mush-
rooms – boletus of Lika and chanterelle – were
exported, for instance to Italy, and sold there as
the best Italian mushrooms. New collection sta-
tions and drying facilities have enabled the forest
mushrooms of Lika to become an appreciated
brand among the connoisseurs.
Milk and dairy products, made primarily from
cow and sheep milk, bring all the qualities of the
first class grazing, at times superior even to graz-
ing offered by the Alpine meadows. The same
can safely be said about the fish and crabs, be
they from streams or lakes. The fishing grounds
for trout and some other fresh water fish are
regarded as one of the most favoured destina-
tions at the global level, and within that context
Gacka is a trully mythical name. Roe obtained
from the Lika trout has been recognized as the
new delicacy which attracts both gourmands and
gourmets with its appearance and its golden cop-
pery colour, not to say anything about its flavour.
Dried and briefly smoke-cured fillets of the Lika
TourisT Board of The
CounTy of karlovaC
Karlovac, a. vraniczanya 6,
47000 Karlovac
tel.: +385 47 615 320
fax: +385 47 601 415,
E-mail: info@tzkz.hr; www.tzkz.hr
for a detailed list of county tourist
Boards, please refer to page 54.

in croatia has brought to the forth the
mountainous region of lika which has been neglected for many years. and while
the new roads opened up new and impressive vistas, the old ones – the traffic
loads and traffic jams now out of their way – were presented with the opportuni-
ty to provide services in tune with their unpolluted natural surroundings.
03
T h e C o n s T r u C T i o n o f n e w , m o d e r n r o a d s
m
lika — karlovac
trout are now being vacuum-packed and are becoming
available at the wider market.
The very water in which these fish and crabs find their
habitat is itself a first rate gastronomic attraction. Almost
all water flowing through Lika are not only potable, but
are also rated among mineral and spring waters of superb
quality. More and more of it is now being bottled and
offered at local and foreign markets. And more and more
chefs are now using water of such fine quality to prepare
all stews and soupy dishes, such as the famous Lièki lonac
(or rather the Lika Stew) which will, it has to be said, be
at its best when prepared with meat from cattle grazed
on the local meadows, with vegetables grown in the local
soil and under the local climate conditions, and of course,
cooked in the waters of Lika.
The return to the roots of gastronomy in Lika sends a
special message: quench your thirst with fresh spring water,
stay your hunger with a flat-bread made from wheat freshly
ground in a water-mill, fortify yourself with plum-brandy
„baked“ and nurtured from home-grown plums. And all
those are experiences of fundamental quality not easily
forgotten by a gastronome worthy of the name.
t h E l i K a p o t a t o
The protection of the geographic origin
of the Lika potato is a good example of
the validation of culinary skills. The
optimum quality of unpolluted soil,
the altitude, the climatic conditions
and the variety selection, result in
a readily identifiable, superb qual-
ity potato which has now, finally,
been branded in an appropriate
manner. This has been a salvation
from oblivion for some of the simple
dishes of the region, such as the Lièke
pole, or as some would say “potato
halves”. Potatoes of larger and medi-
um size are washed and sliced in half,
unpeeled. Each half is hollowed out, a cube
of bacon is placed into the potato, and pota-
toes are then baked – best results are achieved
if they are baked in a bread oven or under a peka
(a domed, cast iron lid that is placed over food and
covered with live coal). They go particularly well with
soured sheep milk or semi-hard cheese locally known as
škripavac (squeaky).
t h E l i K a f r E s h - w a t E r
f i s h s o u p
An excellent example of a new and modern dish that
blends well with the local culinary tradition is the cream
fresh-water fish soup. The Lika trout is filleted, and meat is
taken from the tails of river crabs. Heads, bones, shells and
pincers, with the addition of onion and a whole potato,
are covered with water and allowed to boil to a stock. The
soup is then strained and puréed with the potato. The trout
fillets and crab meat are placed into the soup and boiled
briefly, a dash of butter and a sprig or two of fresh wild-
growing herb like wild chives or bear’s garlic are added.
The soup can also be made with
trout only.
GacKa rivEr
lika—karlovac
19
18
croatian Gastronomy
BrEad: BrEad BaKEd undEr a pEKa – a
hEavy mEtal or cEramic lid – on an
opEn hEarth.
Basa, frEsh chEEsE - madE from cow
or shEEp milK - is a spEcialty of liKa.
mushrooms from GorsKi Kotar and
liKa arE a sourcE of GrEat plEasurE
for connoissEurs and ExpErts aliKE.
croatian Gastronomy
03
sauErKraut and
smoKE-driEd
mEat, a tradi-
tional dish in
liKa, prEparEd
mostly in thE
wintEr months.
lamB and potato BaKEd undEr a pEKa – a hEavy
mEtal or cEramic lid – Known spEcialty of liKa.
ŠKripavac, or as somE would say, “squEaKy”
chEEsE madE of cow milK, saltEd and driEd.
frittErs: vEry
simplE and tasty,
traditional
dElicacy of liKa
The selection of rustic tradition is
presenting itself in the new light.
he two opposites of the Mediterranean clime are found in the Zadar region:
bare rocky countryside where only the most sturdy of medicinal plants of
the Kornati islands will grow and on which only the hardiest livestock,
sheep, goats, donkeys, game and even bees can live, and the rich, fertile
land of Ravni kotari, from where the most sought after fruit and vegetables
arrive to the markets of Croatia.
And it is in this unique area that the best black sour cherry, the famous
maraska, grows. A natural environment of such generosity was bound to
inspire gastronomic geniuses to create top quality recipes, ranked among
which is undoubtedly the world renowned Maraschino liqueur. It has many
surrogates, but only in Zadar is the liqueur produced from the indigenous
Maraska black/sour cherry, in strict observance of an original process
devised three centuries ago.
s a r d i n E s
The largest fishing village on the Croatian
Adriatic is Kali, on the island of Ugljan. Kali
fishermen catch all types of fish but the basis
of both their trade and of fishing in general on
the Croatian Adriatic is the sardine. It ranks
among the most inexpensive of fish, but often
also among the most highly rated. For most
fishermen, and other connoisseurs, there is no
better fish dish than the modest sardine, but only
if the sardine meets a crucial criterion: that it is
prepared and eaten for elevenses in the morn-
ing after the night it is caught. Due to its cyclic
movement, the sardine is most difficult to catch
during summer months, but according to experts
it is in that very same period that this little fish is
at its most delicious.
In addition to being grilled fresh there are
two other ways most frequently used to prepare
sardines: salt-pickled or marinated. Of late,
however, young Croatian chefs have demon-
strated that sardines can be a part of a meal
served to the most fastidious customers. Usually,
21
croatian Gastronomy

of the croatian part of the adriatic. islands, coastal
areas and the hinterland provide everything that goes to make mediterranean
cuisine one of the most popular in the world. it is just as highly regarded by
doctors who research healthy diets, and among the most reputable
gastro-critics in search of strong, perfectly balanced flavours.
dalmatia
t
zadar
TourisT Board of The
CounTy of Zadar
sv. leopolda B. mandića 1
23000 zadar;
tel.: +385 23 315 107
fax: +385 23 315 316
E-mail: tz-zd-zup@zd.t-com.hr
www.zadar.hr
n o r T h e r n d a l m a T i a l i e s i n T h e C e n T r e
04
cial reveal their hidden, unexpected
qualities when combined with others
in a finely balanced blend.
The criterion of a fisherman’s brudet is the most practi-
cal one: it is made from the fish caught on the day, or
night. It is difficult, indeed practically impossible, to list all
the variations of this dish. The basis of the recipe is onion
fried in olive oil, to which small fish are added whole, while
larger ones are cut into pieces, followed by vegetables,
spices, herbs, wine, prosecco, wine vinegar, and even sea
water. The key condition for a good brudet is that it is made
of several types of fish. The sequence in which individual
types of fish are added is also important; indeed, bearing in
mind the texture of their meat it can be crucial to the final
the spine is removed from
a fresh sardine, which is
then dipped into a variety
of breaded mixtures with
aromatic herbs, briefly
fried and served with
freshly-made light veg-
etable sauces.
t h E c h E E s E
o f p a G
The most highly acclaimed
cheese in Croatia is Paški sir,
the cheese from the island of
Pag. Sheep bred on this island
are among the smallest in the
whole of the Mediterranean and there-
fore their milk yield is low, but it is the result of
the meagre grazing abounding with medicinal
herbs. The fierce bora swoops down from Velebit,
whipping up the salty waters of the sea and blowing
them across these meadows, which at times become
white with salt, as if snow covered. Consequently, the
milk that these sheep give is naturally salty and needs no
additional salt. Cheese produced on this island, particularly
in the cheese dairy in Kolan, has in recent
years won the highest awards at presti-
gious exhibitions in the Mediterranean.
It is in such demand that it is sold after a
maturing period of only a few months. On
rare occasions is it allowed to mature for
a year or more and it is undoubtedly one
of the finest sheep cheeses in the world.
The quality of sheep milk from Pag is such
that its curd is also regarded as a first
class specialty. The whey remaining after
curdled fresh cheese has been removed is
heated and gently cooked, bringing to the
surface a product resembling fresh clotted
cheese, locally known as puina. It is
excellent when served with home-cooked
polenta or pasta, and makes a delicious
dessert when mixed with Pag honey, and
when used as filling for pancakes.
B r u d E t
Brudet, brujet, brodet or, if you will, brodetto,
is the most common dish on the Croatian
Adriatic, but it is especially loved throughout
Dalmatia. In the Zadar, Šibenik and Split clusters
culinary skills are measured against one’s ability to excel in
the preparation of brudet. The magic of a good brudet is that
it makes the types of fish normally regarded as nothing spe-
result, i.e. its flavour.
In order to improve the flavour still further, many cooks
like to add an occasional crab, or at least some shellfish.
In the past the island of Zlarin was famous for its lobster
brudet; in Skradin it is made from eels. Undoubtedly,
though, the most curious is the brudet known as falši, which
contains no fish, no crabs and no shellfish – only vegetables
and spices, and a stone taken from the sea!
l j u t i k a
Among connoisseurs, ljutika, a particular type of onion, is
highly prized for its rich, full flavoured taste, while at the
same time being less heavy on one’s stomach than other
types of onion. In some areas of the Zadar, Šibenik and
Split clusters, as well as in some other parts of the coastal
region, ljutika is pickled in wine vinegar, the onion being
unpeeled because it retains its true flavour much better and
swiss chard,
toGEthEr with
miŠanca - a mixtu-
rE of wild-Grown
GrEEn plants - is
thE BEst sidE dish
for fish.
dalmatia
Z a d a r
23
22
croatian Gastronomy
thE adriatic sEa aBounds in many
typEs of shEllfish: mussEls, arK
shEll, oystErs...
fish roastEd ovEr hot coals is a
Gastronomic dElicacy par ExcEllEncE.
croatian Gastronomy
Marachino liqueur
is prepared from the
finest variety of black
cherry - the famous
Maraska of Zadar.
04
srdEla, or
pilchards,
thE chEap-
Est of fish, is
frEquEntly
most apprEci-
atEd - and whEn
prEparEd By
ExpErts it is
a top ranGE
dElicacy.
ljutika, a partic-
ular typE of
onion, mild and
rich in flavour,
is oftEn picKlEd
in rEd winE
vinEGar.
Brudet, Brujet, Brodet or as some would say,
BrodEtto, is thE most popular fish dish on thE
croatian adriatic, and is particularly apprEciatEd
in dalmatia. thE numBEr of its variations arE many.
For most fishermen and the true
connoisseur, there is no better fish than
the popular pilchard.
soup prEparEd with lEntils, chicK-pEas
and frEsh vEGEtaBlEs is a nourishinG and
tasty introduction to any midday mEal
they last longer, but peeled when they need to be pickled
faster. In these parts of Croatia ljutika is of exceptional qual-
ity and really comes into its own in a brudet.
xtending from the canyon, waterfalls and the mouth of the River Krka
to the Kornati archipelago are areas which constitute the most beautiful
and most lovingly preserved national parks of Croatia. If one were to be
pressed to sum up the description and experience of the magic of the
Croatian landscape in one single place, then Skradin is a good choice.
Skradin is a town nestling beneath the Krka waterfalls, where the river
meets the sea. Mystics come here to meditate on the power of nature,
while some of the world’s wealthiest people come here seeking hidden
berths for their yachts, as Bill Gates has been doing for years.
The art of the gastronomy of these parts is just as obsessive and links
some of the oldest traditions not only of this area but of food prepara-
tion in general, with dishes that are found on the most popular menus
of luxury restaurants in the world. Here, one
can still find mišni sir, whose preparation dates
back to the very beginnings of cooking: milk
which has curdled naturally in a sheepskin. Or
wild oysters enjoyed by man today in the same
way as his predecessors, of long, long ago. Pick
them from the sea, open them and swallow
them with a sigh of unadulterated pleasure.
Grilled fish, prepared simply but with great
care, are offered in the same restaurants where
one can savour the unique Skradin risotto
which, almost like an alchemist’s ritual, takes
12 hours to prepare, and in which meat fibres
are gently transformed into quite new gastro-
nomic substances.
s i r i z m i Š i n E /
m i Š n i s i r
In the mountainous hinterland of the Zadar,
Šibenik, Split and Dubrovnik clusters, cheese
made from sheep milk is produced following the
ancient method: it is allowed to age in a sheep-
skin. It is not shaped into any particular form,
but comes in small grainy lumps and is delivered
to markets in the sheepskins in which it has
25
croatian Gastronomy


is described as a unique monument of nature
within which man has created superb monuments of culture that are ranked
among the top of the list of world heritage: like Šibenik cathedral, a work by the
master builder juraj dalmatinac (Georgius dalmaticus).
dalmatia
T h e l a n d s C a p e o f T h e Š i B e n i k r e g i o n
e
TourisT Board of The
CounTy of ŠiBenik - knin
fra n.ružića bb; 22000 šibenik
tel.: +385 22 219 072
fax: +385 22 212 346
E-mail: info@sibenikregion.com
www.sibenikregion.com
05
šibenik
matured, which lends it a strong, distinct and memorable
flavour. It is best when enjoyed as a part of a simple meal:
with flatbread or bread baked under peka (an earthen-
ware or metal lid, covered with live coals) accompanied
by strong, red Dalmatian wine.

K u m B a s i c E
Kumbasice are what the folk in Skradin call their sausages.
Coarsely minced pork meat is combined with minced beef; the
mixture is seasoned with nutmeg and specially prepared garlic:
white Dalmatian wine is spiced with garlic and added to the
mince. The sausages are gently smoked and then hung out to
dry in the bora. They are an essential part of many dishes, but
can also be grilled while being basted with olive oil.
s o P a r n j a k
This is a popular folk dish which hails from northern parts
of the Šibenik and Split regions. Thin strudel pastry is
stuffed with a mixture of Swiss chard, olives, figs and olive
oil, rolled and baked (most often in a baker’s oven) and
normally eaten cold. A campaign is now under way by the
restaurants of Šibenik and its surroundings to save this
excellent dish from oblivion.
ž i ž u l a
iula, Zizyphus jujube, or jujube, growing wild and requir-
ing no special care, is greatly appreciated by people living
in the Zadar and Šibenik areas. It would probably be just as
popular among tourists, except for the fact that it arrives on
the markets after the summer season, and almost the entire
crop is consumed fresh, thus giving diligent housewives no
opportunity to turn them into a more permanent preserve,
such as jam.
In Istria the fruit are immersed in rakia, with the addition
of a small amount of sugar, and left for two weeks in the sun, a
process which transforms the rakia into a delicious liqueur.

GrillEd fish will
rElEasE its full
flavour only if wE
BastE it usinG a
twiG of rosEmary
dippEd in olivE oil.
dalmatia
š i b e n i k
27
26
croatian Gastronomy
in dalmatia almonds arE usEd not
only for caKEs But also for savoury
dishEs.
frEsh tuna fish cauGht in thE sEas
around thE Kornati archipElaGo is
idEal for GrillinG or for carpaccio.
the local PoPulation enjoys their
shellfish just as much as did their
forEfathErs down thE cEnturiEs.
In the hinterland of Šibenik sir iz mišine, produced in the
traditional way - allowing sheep milk to cure in
sheep skin sacks - is still a treasured specialty.
croatian Gastronomy
05
fiGs - a fruit
of southErn
climEs,
dElicious Both
frEsh and
driEd.
harmony of
tradition and
thE modErn way
of lifE: sandwi-
chEs with homE-
curEd prosciut-
to, chEEsE and
tomatoEs.
anothEr spEcialty is food - such as mEat or fish,
or EvEn BrEad - prEparEd undEr a pEKa - a spEcial
lid madE EithEr of cast iron or clay and covErEd
with livE coals, which is also found in dalmatia.
ising behind Split are the mountain massifs of Mosor and Biokovo,
their peaks often snow-swept, which nevertheless blunt the most fierce
onslaughts of the bora. Lying in front of it are the islands of Braè, Šolta,
Èiovo and, in the distance, Hvar and Vis, the sunniest of all the islands. A
wise man was the Emperor. Nature presents itself here in all its splendour
and generosity. Before him, the Greeks cultivated the grapevine and olives
on the Dalmatian islands, while those who did not wish to work the land
turned to hunting, gathering and fishing: fresh and sea water crabs and fish,
frogs and shellfish, mushrooms, blackberries and a variety of other berries,
wild-growing edible plants... The continuity of Dalmatian gastronomy is
impressive even by the criteria of the demanding Mediterranean cuisine.
And what Emperor Diocletian enjoyed in his time has been preserved for
us to enjoy, except that this bounty has been still
further enhanced by the best ideas of generations
of chefs. Principles of what is known as Dalmatian
minimalism are being strictly observed: top quality
ingredients, first and foremost the best types of
fish, are prepared in the shortest and the simplest
of ways – boiled, grilled or fried – so as not to
impair in any way the perfection of the natural
flavours of dory, dentex, gilthead or red mullet. At
the same time recipes were created, and endlessly
modified and perfected, which required a slow
process of preparation over several days, with
complex mixtures of spices, such as, for instance,
pašticada.
p a Š t i c a d a
In the hand-written cookery books of individual
families in Split, which are handed down and
added to from generation to generation, there can
be found as many as 20 or so different recipes for
one dish: pašticada. This is a meat dish the prepa-
ration of which takes, in accordance with old
recipes, days of patient preparation even before
it comes close to the stove. In the first phase,
meat is marinated in wine vinegar flavoured with
29
croatian Gastronomy

but very convincing argument when claiming
superiority for the beauties of their city and its surroundings: Emperor diocletian
had the whole of the roman Empire from which to choose a place for his
magnificent palace. the location he chose is today’s split, its very heart, and the
source of its urban character, the palace, remains to this day.
dalmatia
T h e p e o p l e o f s p l i T h a v e a v e r y s i m p l e
r
TourisT Board of The
CounTy of spliT - dalmaTia
Prilaz braće kaliterna 10/i,
p.p. 430, 21000 split
tel.: +385 21 490 032; 490 033
fax: +385 21 490 032; 490 033
E-mail: info@dalmatia.hr
www.dalmatia.hr
06
split
ing islets, reefs and rocks in search of seagull eggs. An
omelette made from seagull eggs is a quite unique dish; it is
actually regarded as a fish meal, although no fish is added
to it. The bird practically lives on a diet of small fish, which
lends a specific flavour to its eggs. The omelette matches
perfectly with capers.
l u G a n i G E
Luganige are the famous sausages from the Sinj area, but also
known in Split and Šibenik, where they are an obligatory part
of Christmas holiday festive feasts. Luganige are made from a
mixture of pork and lamb stuffed into lamb or sheep intestines,
but what makes them special are the spicings: lemon juice and
grated rind, pepper, coriander, cinnamon and garlic juice. The
traditional way in which these sausages are served in Sinj is
somewhat curious: fried with rice cooked in chicken stock. In
Šibenik they are cooked in beef stock, and the mouth-watering
aroma of luganige being prepared heralds a festive lunch.
s m u t i c a
Reaching us from ancient times, possibly even from the
pre-Slavic era, is the method of souring milk with wine and
wine vinegar still practiced on some Dalmatian islands, Braè
and Hvar in particular, which has developed into a very
specific drink. A sheep and a nanny goat are milked directly
into a glass half-filled with red wine, the result being a foamy
beverage locally known as smutica, bikla or ðonkata. This is a
favourite elixir of life which restores strength and good mood
to the tired and the weary.
different herbs. Pašticada is prepared from
beef or yearling beef, mostly the muscle
locally known as orah (walnut), although
horse meat and large game are also
used with equal success. In the second
phase, the meat is well browned on all
sides, and in the third phase it is gently
stewed in gravy containing dried fruit,
predominantly prunes, and a number of
spices such as cloves, nutmeg, laurel leaf,
pepper, with the addition of a little wine
and prosecco being added from time to
time. Old recipes insist that the dish not
be eaten immediately after it is cooked,
however long and over however gentle
a heat it had been cooked. Pašticada, the
old masters will tell us, must be allowed to
cool slowly, be cut into chunks, browned
again and only then served in its own
strained juices.
Gnocchi, normally served with pašticada, must be cooked
just prior to being served. Although traditional pašticadas
have a very strong, full bodied flavour, it is not uncommon
to grate some hard sheep cheese over the gnocchi.
s E a G u l l E G G s
Come springtime, the people of Lastovo visit the surround-
G a s t r o n o m y o f t h E
c E t i n a
The business people of the world have discovered the beauty
of the canyons of the Cetina. They come to enjoy, through
them and around them, rafting, canoeing, riding, running,
cycling, even parachuting. All those together combined
make for a perfect team spirit-building exercise involving
extreme effort. The base for this unique exercise of body and
soul is Trilj, and its catering establishments are more than
prepared to restore exhausted businessmen with a range of
first class culinary attractions. The sparklingly clear waters
of the Cetina River are a perfect habitat for fresh crayfish,
trout and frogs. Trout, larger crabs and frog legs are grilled;
smaller varieties usually being set aside for buzara or brudet.
But there are also special recipes, such as fried frog legs
wrapped in slices of prosciutto, flavoured with rosemary and
then slightly cooked with the addition of red wine.
Similar natural and gastronomic attrac-
tions are provided by the River
Zrmanja.
Viška PoGača (flat Bread from Vis) is a traditional
dElicacy from thE island of vis: BrEad stuffEd
with tomatoEs and onion, and somEtimEs with
picKlEd pilchards.
dalmatia
s p l i t
31
30
croatian Gastronomy
hvarsKa GrEGada, a sort of BrudEt a
spEciality of thE island of hvar.
octopus inK lEnds not only an
unusual colour to a risotto, But
also a vEry spEcial tastE.
just as in the olden days: shellfish
GrillEd ovEr pinE nEEdlEs.
The continuity of Dalmatian gastronomy is
quite something, even when compared to the
demanding Mediterranean cuisine.
croatian Gastronomy
Vis is the island
of capers - they
seem to grow
on almost every
stone by the sea.
06
prosciutto, parti-
cularly that
curEd in istria and
dalmatia, stands
shouldEr to
shouldEr with its
italian EquivalEnt.
inhaBitants of vis picKlE motar (crythmum mariti-
mum l., family of fEnnEl), or rocK samphirE, a
mEditErranEan plant with succulEnt lEavEs, in
wine VineGar, just as they do with caPers.
dalmatian cuisinE
is inconcEivaBlE
without BrodEtto,
a soupy Kind of
dish prEparEd
with fish, carrots,
tomatoEs and
winE, and most
frEquEntly sErvEd
with polEnta.
he incredible feeling for urban harmony, the power of creation which
enabled man to complete its construction, begun by the fierce geomor-
phology of the Mediterranean, possesses the same power to amaze as
it did centuries ago, combined with the miracle of survival that has
survived wars, earthquakes, fires and epidemics. The genius of the people
of Dubrovnik has manifested itself in all fields of human endeavour,
including gastronomy. The mighty, redoubtable walls of Dubrovnik and
the Republic had their counterpoint in the high mobility, investigative,
mercantile and adventurous spirit of the mariners of Dubrovnik and their
fascinating fleet of elegant sailing ships, at times unrivalled anywhere
in the world. Notwithstanding all the benefits of the clime and the soil
around Dubrovnik, on the Pelješac peninsula and the nearby islands,
the Republic’s mariners never returned from
their voyages without seeds, plants, spices and,
yes, culinary ideas, from distant exotic lands. It
can therefore come as no surprise to learn that
culinary multiculturalism has been practiced in
Dubrovnik for centuries. In the contemporary
catering of this particular area, this wonderful
tradition is reflected in a wide range, from the
popular cuisine prepared over an open fire or
on a grill, found in the villages of Konavle, to
the most luxurious dishes served in the finest
restaurants where meals are enhanced by the
view of the city walls.
c h EE s E of d u B r o vni K
In the surroundings of Dubrovnik there is a tradi-
tion of producing hard sheep milk cheese formed
into small, flat cakes. During the maturing period
it is regularly doused with olive oil. Indeed, many
Dubrovnik restaurants keep on their shelves large
glass containers in which these little cheeses are
stored in olive oil.
t h E nE r E t va Es tu ar y
The wild, striking features of the Neretva River are so
33
croatian Gastronomy



that there are large numbers of people in
the world who have not heard of croatia, but have heard of dubrovnik. when
people catch their first sight of the city, be it from a plane, car or ship, the view
etches itself into their memory.
dalmatia
s u r v e y p o l l s a n d e x p e r i e n C e h a v e s h o w n
t
TourisT Board of The CounTy
of duBrovnik - nereTva
cvijete Zuzorić 1/i, p.p. 259,
20000 dubrovnik
tel.: +385 20 324 999
fax: +385 20 324 224
E-mail: info@visitdubrovnik.hr
www.visitdubrovnik.hr
07
dubrovnik
amazing that the visitor, cruising through the labyrinth
of its backwaters, would undoubtedly be prepared
to settle for a modest sandwich just to be able
to concentrate on the constant changes
of landscape around him. But it has
to be made quite clear that the
estuary of this river is just as
much a paradise on Earth for
gastronomes, for its land and
its subterranean region, its
waters and its air are replete
with species simply made
for an incredible culinary
pleasure.
The
first
attraction
undoubtedly is the eel, the
enjoyment of which dates as far
back as the times of the Roman
emperors, Vespasian in particular, as the
archaeological finds in the
village of Vid tell us. Its flavour is
guaranteed first and foremost by the waters
in which it lives; visitors are not a little
surprised to see a fisherman reaching down
to drink the water on which he is sailing and
fishing. Eels being snakelike, swift, slippery
and crafty, qualities they amply prove by
the fact of their incredible survival, from
their spawning grounds in the Sargasso
Sea to their habitat in the Neretva estuary,
catching them takes a great deal of skill
and experience. The largest examples are
always the females, males usually being half
their size. Throughout the autumn eels are
bigger and fatter, and for most connoisseurs
those caught in spring are more appreci-
ated. However, it is the very fat of the eel
that guarantees the juicy texture of meat
when prepared by a master. Probably the
best way of preparing eels is on a small spit
with 5-10 cm-long pieces skewered onto it.
The fat melts slowly, soaking into muscles,
and the surplus drains off. Eels can also be
grilled, or prepared in a brodetto. In this
red-coloured dish eels are often accompa-
nied by frogs, which are another great gastronomic attraction
of the estuary. Wild ducks and coots round off this list.
t h E o y s t E r s o f s t o n
Debates on which are the best oysters in the world are endless
– it is difficult to establish a final set of criteria. Among the
candidates are certainly the oysters of Ston. And while the final
appraisal is subjective, there are, nevertheless, some objective
criteria that set the oysters of Ston apart from the competition
and make them distinct. The sea currents in its environment
carry large quantities of minerals, the traces of which impart a
very elegant and unique flavour. On the other, northern, end of
the Croatian Adriatic the oysters of the Lim canal have made a
name for themselves. Connoisseurs, for their part, do their best
to, along with the cultivated ones, acquire wild oysters. Especially
attractive are the oysters from the mouth of the Krka River where
it flows into the Adriatic Sea. In Croatia, along with the treat
of eating raw oysters, the younger generation of chefs is serving
them batter-fried, grilled, in soups and as an oyster risotto.
dalmatia
d u b r o v n i k
34
raisin, driEd GrapE – a tastE of...
thE nErEtva rivEr rEGion is a truE
hEavEn for any connoissEur of finE
food.
frutti di marE risotto is a must on thE
mEnus of rEstaurants and tavErns.
The ingenious folk of Dubrovnik have
demonstrated their abilities in many fields,
including gastronomy.
croatian Gastronomy
Paradižet, a
Dubrovnik variation
of "floating islands"
- that famous dessert
of Viennese cuisine.
07
thE old marKEt
in thE cEntrE of
town.
rožata, othEr-
wisE Known as
crEmE caramEl,
is a traditional
dEssErt of
duBrovniK,
madE from EGGs
and caramEl.
because its consumption, even in small quantities, boosts
life’s energies and vitality, and it is therefore attributed
with powerful aphrodisiac properties. At the beginning
of August, mullet from the Neretva estuary start out on
their course for the Pelješac peninsula, always on the
same day and always along the same route. On Pelješac,
buterga is savoured in one way only: thinly sliced, and
accompanied by bread and wine. Buterga slices resemble
ducats, and that is how they are valued too! Alongside the
oysters of Ston, butarga is the most outstanding specialty
of Pelješac and the Bay of Ston. Butarga slowly melts in
the mouth, releasing waves of
powerful flavour and provid-
ing a unique experience not
readily forgotten.
EvEry Kind of
fish, prEparEd
By an ExpErt,
providEs a tastE
to rEmEmBEr.

in thE surroundinGs of duBrovniK shEEp milK has BEEn
usEd for thE production of chEEsE for cEnturiEs.
B u t a r G a
Butarga is a fish extract, a powerful concentrate of proteins
and hormones prepared by drying the roe of the grey
mullet. It is highly valued not only because it is scarce, but
combination of Austro-Hungarian, Oriental and indigenous Croatian
gastronomic ideas amid strongly based agriculture has resulted in a
readily recognizable Slavonian cuisine based on top quality ingredients.
In addition to all the previously mentioned influences, which can be
accurately determined from the historical aspect, significant traces were
also left by the manner in which food was prepared back in nomadic
times and during the great migrations. Cooking in the open is still the
most popular form of Slavonian gastronomy, and it engenders a great
deal of passion, emotion and nostalgia. Sitting around a fire over which
a cauldron gently bubbles away, around barbecues and spits, with horses
and carriages not far away, on the banks of the Rivers Drava and Danube,
in the wetlands of Baranja, to the strains of violins and tambouritzas: now
that spells an atmosphere of some considerable
power! All of the brightest amongst the stars of
Slavonian gastronomy are the masters of dishes
prepared in a cauldron, a variety of fish and meat
paprikash, but they are just as good at preparing
dishes cooked on the spit, from the small, forked
spit used to cook a carp over hot coals, to the
more majestic, where oxen are slowly turned and
roasted throughout the night. Slavonia is indeed
a cornucopia, which is equally generous in its
hospitality and where dishes are rarely cooked
for less than ten or more diners. The Slavonians
are a jolly lot; they enjoy company and their
gastronomy is simply tailored to that end.
K u l E n a n d
K u l E n o v a s E K a
Kulen, or kulin, is the most prestigious, most
appreciated and yes, the most expensive sausage-
type product, not only in Slavonia but across
Croatia. The recipe to which it is made seems
very simple: the best parts of pork cleaned of
all fatty and connective tissue, ground paprika,
garlic and salt are the ingredients used to fill a
meticulously cleaned intestine. But as they say,
37
croatian Gastronomy

has always been to feed croatia. the fertile
pannonian plain, with its unparalleled agricultural potentials, has attracted
civilizations since prehistory. Generous land yielded riches, riches gave rise to the
development of culture, and an environment of high culture was an ideal
place for gastronomy to flourish, as it has done for thousands of years. powerful
influences from the East and the west were resolved through confrontations
on the battlefield, but also through cohabitation in the kitchen.
slavonia
T h r o u g h o u T h i s T o r y T h e r o l e o f s l a v o n i a
a
TourisT Board of The CounTy
of osijek - Baranja
Kapucinska 40, 31000 osijek
tel.: +385 31 214 852
fax: +385 31 214 853
E-mail: info@tzosbarzup.hr
www.tzosbarzup.hr
for a detailed list of county tourist
Boards, please refer to page 54.
08
it is not what but how something is made; every nuance
is important in the making of kulen and can be a crucial
factor at the Kuleniada – a national competition of the
grand masters of the makers of kulen.
The pig must not be too young, but
rather large, weighing over 180 kg. The
breeds most sought after are Mangulica
and the black Slavonian pig. Its diet is
the key to the quality of meat, the best
being from pigs allowed to freely roam the
forests and copses of Slavonia and feeding
on, among other things, acorn of the
famous Slavonian oak. It is believed, and
for quite a few it is the normal practice,
that the best results are achieved if meat
is chopped by hand rather than minced,
but there is also a school of compromise:
the best parts of meat are chopped by
hand for taste, while the rest is minced
in order to achieve the consistency that
kulen should possess. Garlic is usually
strained into the mixture. Of particu-
lar importance is the right choice
of top quality ground paprika,
and the ratio of sweet and hot
paprika used, since it is this
spice which ultimately gives the
product a sharpness that is mild, noble and
in no way aggressive. The quantity of salt requires a preci-
sion that allows for not the minutest mistake.
The prepared mixture is stuffed into different natural
casings, but the best for kulen is a meticulously cleaned and
treated blind gut of a pig. The secondary choices are the
bladder and the small intestine of a pig, or a large bovine’s
intestine. When the kulen mixture is stuffed into smaller
intestines it is known as kulenova
seka (kulen’s sister).
Kulen being a thick
sausage, and kulenova
seka also never
being a thin one, special care is required when filling the
casing; this has to proceed slowly and carefully, since a
single small air bubble can prove disastrous during the
curing period. Once the filling is completed the casing is
additionally salted in brine for up to five days; then, the
casing is rinsed well and tied in order to retain the tradi-
tional shape even after a curing period of several moths.
If the winter is cold and dry kulen is smoked every third
day, if it is warm and damp, smoking is carried out every
day. The smoking period takes a month, or longer, until it
acquires a dark brown colour. The optimum curing period
in cold, airy premises, primarily attics, is about half a year,
but it is a longstanding tradition in Slavonia that kulen is
eaten at Easter. When the curing is completed, the kulen
is stored, and the best way of storing it is in cereal grain
or in bran. Discussions and squabbles extend from the
optimal methods of preparation, making, curing, storage
to serving; they are vigorous and never ending. While
most connoisseurs claim that kulen should be cut into
finger-thick slices, there are those who believe this to be
sacrilege and that this, the best of Croatian sausages,
can be fully savoured only if cut thinly and served on a
wooden platter.
v i n E y a r d G a s t r o n o m y
In recent years the famous wine producers of Slavo-
nia have won world acclaim, which has resulted in an
increased number of visits by gastronomes. Organized
groups arriving for wine tasting are also offered a
corresponding culinary array. This growing interest has
prompted the wine makers of Slavonia to launch their
own catering establishments.
f r E s h w a t E r f i s h a n d
f i s h p a p r i K a s h
Carp and trout are the most
common freshwater fish
slavonia
39
38
croatian Gastronomy
Good fish-papriKash must contain as
many typEs of fish as possiBlE.
frEshly Ground rEd papriKa as an
addition to frEsh cottaGE chEEsE - a
simply irrEsistiBlE comBination.
intEnsE, hot flavours arE a synonym
of slavonian Gastronomy.
Cooking in the open is just as popular in Slavonia
as it has always been, involving a great deal of
passion, emotions and even nostalgia.
croatian Gastronomy
In Croatia the penny
bun has always been
the most treasured
among mushrooms,
and the local popula-
tion is skilled in
recognizing it.
08
KulEn or Kulin -
thE most hiGhly
valuEd salami-typE
product of
slavonia.
all croatian
flour
oriGinatEs
from slavonia.
available on Croatian markets, since they are bred in a
number of fish farms. However, there are those who know
that the range of fish on offer is far more varied: catfish
and horned pout (liked for practical reasons because it
has no small bones, just the spine) can often be found in
continental fishmongers. Somewhat rarer is the very tasty
pike perch and pike. Rarely, one can chance upon tench,
a rather fatty but exquisitely flavoursome fish. Lately, in
Zagreb’s Dolac market it has been possible to obtain, at
more than reasonable prices, smoked common bream,
an extremely tasty fish but best appreciated by the more
patient connoisseur, as it is full of tiny bones. Eels cannot
be bred in captivity but they do appear in fishmongers’
shops. Among other types of fish found in clear and cold
rivers, which are of interest to gastronomes, is the grayling,
but one has to go out and catch it as it almost never
appears on the markets.
There is a fish dish known as paprikash, logically named
fish paprikash, regarded as one of the most outstand-
ing Slavonian specialties, but which can also be found
in Zagreb, particularly on Fridays. A good fish paprikas
demands as many types of fish as possible. It is prepared
in a small (or sometimes not so small) cauldron and
cooked over an open fire. Its main spice is paprika, hot
and sweet. Hungarians in Croatia are renowned producers
of top quality paprika, both ground and crushed. In the
vicinity of Vukovar, especially in the village of Èakovci
(not to be confused with the town of Èakovec), hot and
sweet paprika of the highest world quality is grown, dried,
crushed and ground.
slavonia is
also Known
for its many
typEs of
GrapE.
s a l e n j a c i
Today, cakes made with pork fat seem like some distant
example of gastro-archaeology, but when those who today are
old were young, salenjaci were one of the most common desserts
in many parts of the Slavonian and Zagreb clusters. Flaky pastry
was made with minced fat, and stuffed with apricot or plum
jam, or with walnut filling, prior to baking.
p o d E r a n E G a ć e
( r i p p E d p a n t s )
Quite apart from their taste of traditional popular cakes,
poderane gaæe owe their survival in no small measure to their
highly memorable name. Rectangular-shaped cakes, the main
ingredients of which are flour, sugar and eggs, with a touch of
rum for a fulsome aroma, are nicked in two or three places
before being fried in hot oil, the finished article resembling a
ripped piece of cloth.
roatian language dialects spoken in these areas sometimes differ one from
another to such an extent that a foreigner is often led to believe that they
are in fact different languages. The same applies to the recipes which include
all the wealth of middle class, popular and rural cuisines. In the livestock
breeding areas to the south of the cluster
cuisine is based on simple dishes such as
polenta (localy known as pura) cooked
slowly in the hearth for hours and, when
done, soured milk, fresh cottage cheese
or butter is poured over it. Until recently
regarded as pauper’s fare, these dishes are
today highly regarded as rustic examples of
the culinary arts. Moving northwards, this
pastoral atmosphere at the south of this
cluster undergoes a complete change, as for
instance in Varadin. This Baroque town
still preserves and maintains its tradition
of following the recipes of upper middle
class cuisine of the age of Baroque, clearly
evidenced in the way that game is prepared
and served with meticulously prepared
sauces. Castles and shepherd’s huts are the
dividing line, both the opposites and the
unity of cultural heritage, but also places
where today, picturesque restaurants have
opened their doors.
p r G a
The traditional cheese of Podravina,
which has recently been rescued from obliv-
ion and is now ever more frequently found
in town markets, is called prga, or prgica.
Several variations of its production are
known, the most common method being
as follows: strained fresh cottage cheese
is mixed with cream; salt and ground red
paprika are added, and sometimes garlic.
41
croatian Gastronomy



in the north, slovenia to the west, with Bosnia
and herzegovina in the east, and in the south it approaches fairly
close to the adriatic sea. Geographical maps reflect an intricate combination
of ethnic influences out of which issued the culinary patterns of
small regions: Zagorje, Prigorje, međimurje, Banovina and at the southern
edge of lika and Gorski kotar.
central
croatia
C e n T r a l C r o a T i a B o r d e r s w i T h h u n g a r y
c
TourisT Board of The
CounTy of krapina - Zagorje
Zagrebačka 6, 49217 krapinske toplice
tel.: +385 49 233 653; fax: +385 49 233 653
E-mail: info@tz-zagorje.hr
www.tz-zagorje.hr
TourisT Board of The
CounTy of sisak-moslavina
s. i a. radića 28/ii; 44000 sisak;
tel.: +385 44 540 163
fax: +385 44 540 164
E-mail: tzsmz@email.t-com.hr
www.turizam-smz.hr
for a detailed list of county tourist
Boards, please refer to page 54.
09
The mixture is shaped into small cones which are left to air
dry, but it can also be smoked.
s i r i V r h n j e (or as
somE would say, cottaGE chEEsE
and smEtana)
Fresh cottage cheese and smetana are so
popular among Croats that this edible
syntagm has even appeared on jumbo
posters used in political election campaigns!
He who cherishes sir i vrhnje most can usually
be assured of a great empathy among voters.
The cheese in question is freshly curdled,
gently strained cow milk cheese, formed
into round cakes of ½ kg or so, the quality
of which greatly depends on the quality
of grazing, which in this particular case is
excellent. Although the Zagreb cluster is the
centre of the sir i vrhnje tradition, this type of cheese is produced
in many locations of this cluster, as well as in certain parts of
Slavonia. It is sold exclusively in the markets.
Cottage cheese and smetana are eaten primar-
ily completely fresh, and serving is simplicity itself:
smetana is poured over cheese – one measure (a
measure being an old one, amounting to c 1.5 dcl) of cheese to
one or two measures of smetana, with a little salt and red paprika
sprinkled over it. It is also traditional that the bread which is
served with this simple dish is made from maize, with unleav-
ened dough, and baked to produce a thick, crunchy
crust. The bread is baked in large, round forms,
sometimes weighing as much as 10 kg. The most
usual side dishes for cottage cheese and smetana
are radishes and spring onions. The mixture is also used
to make a variety of spreads, the taste depending on the ingre-
dien ts:
chopped spring onion and ground red paprika,
sometimes garlic - especially when young, chives
– particularly the wild-growing variety, dill, crab
grass, thyme or marjoram. Well mixed fresh cheese
and smetana make a delicious topping for broad, home-
made noodles, often accompanied by a sprinkling of small
pieces of fried bacon, and, according to taste, with garlic. In
some parts of continental Croatia, in particular the Slavonian
region, pasta prepared in this way is placed in a very hot oven
in order to obtain a nice golden, crisp crust.
c a r p
The large number of fish farms worldwide has made
carp an inexpensive if undervalued fish. Sadly, it is
often bred in poor quality water and fed a poor quality
diet. In complete contrast are the carp bred in Vransko
jezero (Vrana lake) near Biograd, regarded as among
the best in Europe. Although locally it is grilled,
some methods used in Slavonia seem much better
this rEGion is
Known for its
whitE variEtiEs
of GrapE.
central
43
42
croatian Gastronomy
cEntral croatia is rEnownEd as an
arEa for its widE ranGE and wEalth
of vEGEtaBlEs.
hErE, thE pEnny Bun is most oftEn
EatEn in comBination with EGGs, a Bit
of Bacon and onion.
a loaf of ovEn-BaKEd BrEad, madE
from homE-Grown corn mEal, can
wEiGh up to 10 KG.
A good fish paprikash demands as many types
of fish as possible and it is cooked in
a small cauldron over an open fire.
croatian Gastronomy
Ground red papri-
ka, hot or sweet,
is the main condi-
ment of these parts,
one which Croats
adopted from the
Hungarians.
09
fish-papriKash
cooKEd in a
cauldron ovEr an
opEn firE, madE
ExclusivEly from
frEshwatEr fish.
trout coatEd in
BrEad flour and
GrillEd arE a
spEcialty of this
arEa.
on offer is far more varied: catfish and horned pout (liked for
practical reasons because it has no small bones, just the spine)
can often be found in continental fishmongers. Somewhat rarer
is the very tasty pike perch and pike. Rarely, one can chance
upon tench, somewhat fatty but with an exquisite flavour.
At Zagreb’s Dolac Market, it has recently been possible to
purchase, at a more than reasonable price, smoked common
bream – very tasty but best appreciated by the very patient
connoisseur, as it is full of tiny bones. Eels cannot be bred in
captivity but they do appear in fishmongers’ shops. Among
other types of fish found in clear and cold rivers and which are
of interest to gastronomes, is the grayling, but one has to catch
it oneself, since it almost never appears in the markets.
A dish known as paprikash made from fish and therefore
logically known as fish paprikash, is regarded as one of the most
outstanding specialties of Slavonia, which can also be found in
Zagreb, particularly on Fridays. A good fish paprikas demands
as many types of fish as possible and it is cooked in a small (or
sometimes not so small) cauldron over an open fire. Its main
spice is paprika, both hot and sweet.
croatia
warm hEartEd and hospitaBlE, thE winE producErs of
slavonia arE always happy to invitE visitors to thEir
cEllars to tastE thEir winEs.
suited. Gutted and salted it is affixed to a forked branch which
is then stuck into the ground close to live coals, thus allowing
the fish to slowly “melt”. Larger specimens, cut into slightly
thicker slices, are fried in pork fat. Carp from a fish farm can
also be top of the range fish if both water and food are of good
quality – as is the case at the fish farm in Crna Mlaka.
t r o u t
Californian trout have spread throughout the fresh waters
of Europe, Croatia included. But in certain locations the
indigenous Croatian brown trout (Salmo trutta morpha fario)
has survived, and it is indeed a specialty of the first order. It is
identifiable by its red spots, its meat being significantly more
reddish, juicer and flavoursome than Californian trout. The
brown trout is preserved in the Gacka River – a cult fishing
ground for trout lovers from all over the world, and it can
also be found in the Rivers Slunjèica and Èabranka. The
locally preferred method of preparing it is to douse it in corn
meal and to fry it (the miller’s way). There is a company
called “Leko” which produces excellent smoked trout,
which can be found on Zagreb’s Dolac Market.
f r E s h w a t E r f i s h a n d
f i s h p a p r i K a s h
Carp and trout are the most common fresh water fish found on
Croatian markets, since they are bred in a number of fish farms.
Those in the know, however, are aware that the range of fish
ts activities precede its very existence, since back in the 19th century lively,
often acrimonious discussions raged over the location of Zagreb’s central
marketplace, what it should look like, who should build it, maintain it and,
of course, who should use it. For centuries, Zagreb has been trading in the
open and in accordance with strict rules. Records dating from 1425 tell us
that trading in fresh fish was defined with far more precision than it is today:
should they happen upon fresh fish that had been on display for too long, the
unforgiving market inspectors of the day would cut off the tails of such fish,
thus reducing them to second class goods.
The history of Dolac, from the first initiative for its construction to its
opening day, provides excellent material for a chronicle of scandals, one which
did nevertheless have a happy ending. Today, this is a market with an open-air
section and a covered area on two levels, logically
organized, well laid out and free flowing. The supply
primarily reflects seasonal food production by
regions. The most interesting in this wide selection
of produce are products by small, family agricultural
holdings. Although economic logic dictates that
small producers should work together in order to
survive the onslaught of cheap goods from the world
markets, the logic of gastronomy shows us that small
producers provide a fantastic impetus to quality
produce and, in particular, to a high standard of
gastronomy. Goods are sometimes more expensive
on Dolac than on other Croatian markets, but that
is logical: regional markets are mostly supplied by
local producers; to Zagreb markets they bring the
best that they can offer.
Dolac is therefore a daily meeting place for the
culinary stars of Zagreb, known and unknown. In
their own words, this is where they start cooking.
According to Ana Ugasrkoviæ, the rising star of the
Zagreb gastronomic stage, good cuisine consists of
90% of good buys. The ability to select the best
ingredients at the optimal time in the season is the
basic art of a good gastronome, one upon which top
quality cuisine is based all over the world.
45
croatian Gastronomy




point as well as being the
intersection of all the regional gastronomies of croatia, and more
often than not offers a selection of the best from each of them. this is clearly
visible on the city markets – 13 larger and 10 smaller ones, but most
of all at the central market known as dolac, ideally located only meters from
the central square, on an elevation at the same level as the cathedral. in every
respect this is the most prestigious market in croatia.
zagreb
city of
a B o v e e v e r y T h i n g e l s e , Z a g r e B i s T h e C o n v e r g i n g
i
10
TourisT Board of
The CiTy of ZagreB
Kaptol 5; 10000 zagreb;
tel.: +385 1 4898 555
fax: +385 1 4814 340
E-mail: info@zagreb-touristinfo.hr
www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr
Potato is served to soak up the juices. When the abundance
of ingredients becomes too much, the true connoisseurs
return to the puritan Samobor version
P a P r e n j a c i (or pEppEr Biscuits)
The pepper biscuit is an old recipe that could be found from the
eastern borders of Slavonian cluster to the southern border of the Split
region. Its main ingredients are flour, eggs and pepper, and its variations
several. And since they symbolize the old, popular cuisine, the national
airline company serves them on its flights as small, sweet refreshment.
Today, it is produced, packaged and distributed by a pastry shop on
the island of Hvar, and from one in Zagreb – which has resulted in
the biscuit becoming a Zagreb souvenir.
m i Š a n c a
Picking, gathering or catching only what nature herself
provides us, without any effort by the growers and breeders,
would be enough to experience endless culinary delights.
Frequently, such dishes are underappreciated since the
ingredients grow in abundance across meadows, clearings
and woods, and as a consequence do not fetch particularly
good prices. And ideal example of this kind is mišanca, that
is, a “mixture” of wild or semi-wild plants gathered in spring
or early summer, particularly in the Mediterranean regions
of Croatia. Formerly, it consisted of some 20 or more plants,
while today its basis is various types of wild and semi-wild
onion, certain grasses, edible flowers, and herbs. The method
of preparing a mišanca is from a combination of popular
culinary concepts and skills. At the start of the season, in
early spring, mišanca can be eaten fresh, as a salad, dressed
with wine vinegar and olive oil. It is quite
delicious with the addition of salt-pickled
anchovies, olives, capers and hard boiled
eggs. Mišanca can also be briefly cooked
in boiling water and again served with a
number of additions, but which now extend
to boiled potatoes, chick-peas, broad beans,
beans, lentils. Fish laid on a bed of mišanca
and baked in the oven in an earthenware
dish, ranked at the peak of gastronomy, is
becoming ever more inviting to the young
stars of the culinary arts in Croatia. The
richness of genuine Mediterranean aromas
offered by mišanca, the power of essen-
tial oils contained in wild-grown plants,
opens up new avenues into delightful culi-
nary interpretations: mišanca in fritajas, or
rather omelettes and pancakes, made into
a sauce and served over home-made pasta,
cooked together with lamb or kid over a
gentle heat, cooked with dried mutton or
proscuitto bone and potatoes, combined
with olives and mixed into flat cakes...
This wonderful mixture should be sought
out, albeit under its different names, in all
the regions of the Croatian Adriatic, but
also on the markets of Zagreb. The wider
the variety of plants included, the more
appreciated mišanca is, and the touch for
deciding on the correct ratio of individual plants, as per the
recipe, is a sign of a chef extraordinaire.
m u s h r o o m s i n c r o a t i a
Some twenty years ago Ivan Focht, philosopher, aesthetic of
music, biologist and a passionate mushroom expert, wrote to
his friend: “music and mushrooms came to us from the heav-
47
croatian Gastronomy
From Dolac, chefs return to their respective restaurants
in which they offer their guests regional specialties, first and
foremost those from Dalmatia, but also from Istria, Slavonia,
Prigorje, Zagorje, the best dishes from Lika and Gorski kotar,
but also from some Croatian communities outside Croatia – in
particular Herzegovinian and Bosnian specialties. Fish is often
equally fresh in the restaurants of Zagreb as it is on the coast;
the season of lamb from the islands begins in Zagreb; the first
white truffles are just as impatiently awaited in Zagreb as they
are in Istria; selections of top of the range kulens regularly
arrive to chosen locations in Zagreb; a special gastronomic
week is dedicated to oysters from the Bay of Ston and the
Lim channel in spring, on the feast day of St. Joseph, when
they are in their seasonal peak. But Zagreb also nurtures its
own, authentic dishes known as “burghers’ cuisine”. This
cuisine is the historical sediment of Austro-Hungarian cultural
heritage. Some names and expressions are of German origin,
some are Austrian and Hungarian, and they are still in use
today. Grenadir marš (Grenadier March – pasta with onion
and potato), kajzeršmarn (Kaiserschmarn, a dessert made from
pancake batter) appear from time to time on the menus
of Zagreb’s restaurants which delight in sailing the
nostalgic waves of the purger cuisine.
s a m o B o r s K a
K o t l o v i n a
Large pans with wide rims, some-
times as much as 2 m in diameter, are
46
croatian Gastronomy
placed on specially designed stoves – usually cleverly adapted
metal barrels. In Zagorje, Prigorje, Zagreb, but above all in
Samobor, these kitchen contraptions, which go by the name
of kotlovina, as does the dish prepared in them, are the symbol
of merrymaking, good times and good food. Every gathering of
people in the open is an excellent opportunity for a kotlovina.
The basic recipe is simple and very rustic. Pigs’ legs are fried,
or rather melted, in the pan, invariably with chopped onion.
They are doused first with water and then with wine. Once
this basic stock is prepared, pieces of meat are added, usually
pork cutlets. The secret of a good flavour lies in gentle, slow
cooking, as opposed to the fast grilling technique. Recipes for
kotlovina are varied and, in contrast to the recipe for the basic
stock, can be very complex. The meat used can come in the
form of sausages; but it can be chicken, veal, yearling beef,
even game. All root vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, auber-
gines, even young beans and mushrooms find their way into
a kotlovina in order to make the flavour as rich as possible.
city of zagreb
10
on dolac,
cEntral marKEt
placE of
zaGrEB, small
producErs of
all croatian
rEGions BrinG
thE BEst thEy
can offEr
The Dolac central market is a daily meeting place for
the culinary stars of Zagreb, known and unknown.
In their own words, this is where they start cooking.
PaPrenjak, a
pEppEr Biscu-
it madE from
flour, honEy,
EGGs and a Good
pinch of pEppEr,
is a symBol of
thE old popular
cuisinE and an
official zaGrEB
souvEnir.
pumpKins from thE vEGEtaBlE GardEns
of ZaGorje are eaten oVen-roasted or
as an addition to Bio-caKEs.
plums untrEatEd with pEsticidE maKE
suPerB home-made jam.
quality vEGEtaBlEs and fruit from
small producErs providE ExcEllEnt
EncouraGEmEnt for quality Gastronomy.
Kotlovina - thE sEcrEt of a
Good flavour liEs in GEntlE,
slow cooKinG, as opposEd to thE
fast GrilinG.
capital of croatian Gastronomic dEliGhts
Mišanca is a mixture
of wild-grown, mostly
Mediterranean plants
- sometimes as many
as 20 different kinds
- used fresh as salad
dressed with olive oil
and wine vinegar or,
briefly cooked, as a
side dish to fish and
meat, but also to
other vegetables.
carpet. The Swiss call it “poor man’s truffle”, to the English it is
“Horn of plenty”, while Germans see it as a “deadly trumpet”.
Regardless of its name, however mythical or bizarre it may be,
it still smells divinely and is perfect when pickled, eaten cold
as salad, and is at its best when dried and ground into a pow-
der. This magic powder is then used as a spice, as that secret
ingredient that every mushroom expert and mushroom lover
simply must have in his or her kitchen.
m o r e l ( o r s m r č a k )
No mushroom hunting adventure is more exciting than the
hunt for morels, and he who hunts the morel, this magnifi-
cent mushroom, is a very special person. In order to be suc-
cessful he is prepared to do what other mushroom gatherers
do not do. This is a strange mushroom which likes those
places that other members of its family do not like, and is
gathered with great passion and with a certain inexplicable
feeling verging on sensuality. Every gatherer has his own
secret hunting grounds which he guards jealously. Spring is
the season which makes the hunter feel restless, and as soon
as he feels the time has come, off he goes, for if he is only
a few days too late there will be nothing to find. It is a true
pleasure to join the mushroom gatherers of Meðimurje or
Gorski kotar, who organize traditional events and compete
for the “Golden morel”, i.e. the largest and most beautiful
specimen. Last year, the first prize was won by a 43cm-high,
49
48
croatian Gastronomy
croatian Gastronomy
10
VrGanj, or the
pEnny Bun,
is thE most
valuEd mushro-
om in thEsE
parts, and is
most common-
ly prEparEd
slicEd, sautEEd
with onion, with
EGGs addEd
at thE End of
thE cooKinG
procEss.
Those mushrooms that rural folk do not know, or which are
not edible, are simply not regarded as mushrooms.
a G a r i c
A common and tasty mushroom, curious for the fact that it is
eaten on the islands. Islanders have always been oriented to
the sea and meagre soil, putting their faith in their boats and
their hoes. Mushrooms, however, seem to have escaped their
attention, rujnica, or agaric, being an exception. (Indeed, on
the island of Korèula the agaric is in fact called a “mush-
room”, since members of that family which are not eaten are
not regarded as mushrooms!). They are eaten on the islands
of Lastovo, Korèula and Mljet. This is a firm-fleshed mush-
room and is therefore suitable for a longer period of cooking.
The traditional dish on Korèula is mushrooms in sauce:
onion, tomato concentrate, potato, red wine, sugar and olive
oil, cloves, salt and pepper; and there you have a delicious
sauce. Fish is and was prepared in a similar way.
h o r n o f p l E n t y (crna truBača)
The Horn of plenty is a mushroom which practically cannot be
mistaken for any other. Difficult to find, but when it is found
you realize you are surrounded by them, as if on a large, black
in rEcEnt yEars
thE numBEr of
rEstaurants in
croatia KEEpinG
pacE with GrEat
achiEvEmEnts
of hautE cuisinE
has BEEn
constantly
GrowinG.
nEw olivE
GrovEs arE
sprinGinG up
alonG thE
coastlinE EvEry
yEar, and olivE
oils producEd
By younG olivE
GrowErs arE
winninG intErna-
tional rEcoGni-
tion.
smrčak, or morel - tradition has it that in the
villaGEs whErE folK Eat a lot of this BlEssEd
mushroom, BachElors arE fEw and far BEtwEEn
and women are always jolly.
capital of croatian Gastronomic dEliGhts
ens.” Back then this was a romantic confession of a scientist
at the end of the road; today, it sounds more like a touristic
slogan. In the forests of Gorski kotar and Slavonia, alongside
rivers, in the meadows of Lika, on islands, in Istria, in short,
everywhere, there exists the mysterious world of mushrooms
which is an inexhaustible source of dis-
cussion and pleasures to both mushroom
experts and gastronomes. At a time when
mushrooms in Europe are being threatened
by the destruction of their habitat, and
when some species have long disappeared,
Croatia seems more like a botanical garden,
a protected oasis which everybody can
enjoy. Everybody, from tourists and mush-
room experts to scientists and ecologists.
And long my this remain so.
c E p (pEnny Bun)
When one makes mention of the mush-
rooms in Croatia, most people will auto-
matically think “Penny Bun.” The cep is
a mushroom that comes to everybody’s
mind with its shape, divine fragrance,
majestic cap and charming plumpness. It
has always been a most cherished mush-
room in Croatia, one that anybody can
recognize despite the fact that there are
some 30 similar varieties in the same family,
some of which are listed as protected plants.
Over the last decade
the Zagreb region
has nurtured and
developed free-range
strawberries, due to
the beneficial climatic
conditions of the area
Ancient tradition has it that should you ever chance upon a
lone cep, you should ask it quietly, “where is your brother?”,
since they invariably grow in pairs. There are several methods
used in their preparation. In Zagorje they are best served with
eggs: a spot of pork fat, some sliced onion, sliced cep added
and gently cooked. Eggs are then blended into it and the
mixture fried to a soft texture. Another highly popular, deli-
cious recipe is Penny Bun soup, always with the addition of
smetana and vinegar. Mushrooms of all types are often grilled
over live coals, but it is the Penny Bun which is by far the best
when cooked in this way: simply dipped into melted butter
and placed on a grill. When done they are sprinkled with salt
and a few drops of a fine alcoholic beverage and served with
rye bread and a slice or two of prosciutto or ham gently fried
over the fire. It may be widespread, and indeed common, but
the Penny Bun still remains one of the best and most highly
regarded of mushrooms. In the region of Gorski kotar there is
a place called Ravna Gora, where a “Day of mushrooms” is
organized on an annual basis: mushroom hunters spend a day
together looking for Penny Buns which, needless to say, are
consumed with great relish at the end of the day.
c h a n t E r E l l E
Should you chance to meet a peasant on the edge of a forest
and were to ask him if there are any mushrooms there, you
will make a mistake. Not because the man is secretive about
his find, but because for him the word “mushroom” carries
a different meaning. Only an edible mushroom with which
he is familiar is a real mushroom, and this is limited to about
ten varieties that form a part of traditional popular cuisine.
city of zagreb