When it's time to bring a taste of Europe to your home for the holidays, Potica a Yugoslavian classic will add a touch of the old country to your table.
Learn to make authentic Yugoslavian Potica and bring a taste of Eastern European Cuisine to your own home.
This was a guest post by Cooking Healthy For Me. (this blog no longer exists)
Potica is a Yugoslavian nut roll that I found the recipe for about 25 years ago and we’ve made this every year ever during the holidays. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a slice of this delicious bread… here we go!
Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl. Turn dough over, greased side up and cover with a towel. Let it rise in warm place (85F) free from draft until doubled in size – about an hour.
Roll the dough out to a 30′ x 20” rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough to 1 inch from the edge.
Starting from wide side roll the dough up tightly, jellyroll style. Seal the roll by pinching edges of the dough with your fingers.
On a large greased cookie sheet or seasoned baking stone, form the roll into a large coil. Cover with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place (85F), for one hour.
Bake 35-40 minutes until golden, then cool on a wire rack.
You can make this recipe and cut the dough into 4 equal parts and make 4 small loaves. They would be the perfect size for a housewarming or holiday gift.
If you enjoy delicious desserts you may also like these recipes:
- Bee Sting Cake
- The Best Tiramisu You Will Ever Make
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake
- Pineapple Butter Cake
- Chocolate Mousse Cake
Potica
Ingredients
Bread
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup hot milk
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (105-115F)
- 2 eggs
- 4.5 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
Filling
- 3 eggs
- 4 cups (1lb) walnuts, finely chopped
- 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1/3 cup butter , melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon (I omit due to allergies)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
- Stir sugar, salt and ¼ cup butter into hot milk. Cool to lukewarm. (a drop on your wrist won’t feel hot)
- Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve.
- Stir in lukewarm milk mixture.
- Add 2 eggs and 2.5 cups flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
- Gradually beat in remaining 2 cups flour; knead with hand until the dough is stiff enough to leave side of bowl.
- Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl. Turn dough over – greased side up – and cover with a towel.
- Let rise in warm place (85F) free from drafts, until doubled in size – about an hour.
- Make Filling – In a medium bowl beat eggs slightly, add nuts, brown sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir and set aside.
- When dough has risen, punch down. On a lightly floured surface, turn dough out, cover with bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough out to a 30x20” rectangle.
- Spread with filling, to 1 inch from edge.
- Starting from wide side – roll up tightly – jellyroll style. Seal by pinching edges of dough with fingers.
- On a large greased cookie sheet or seasoned baking stone, form roll into a large coil.
- Let rise in a warm place (85F), cover with towel, for one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Brush with 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden.
- Cool on wire rack. Makes a whopping 4-pound loaf!
Nutrition
Victor says
The recipe I use came with my grandmother from Ljubljana in 1942.
The filling contains honey, 1 tsp lemon zest and white raisins replacing the brown sugar.
The dough is rolled out on a floured tablecloth which is then used to create the roll.
The roll is cut in half and baked in bread pans lined with parchment paper.
Rachel says
My grandfather was Yugoslavian and made this every year at Christmas time. Sadly nobody had his recipe after he passed .I found yours and it is exactly the same. Thank you so much for posting this.
Chef Dennis Littley says
you’re welcome! I hope it makes your holidays happier!
Viviane Pavich says
I never asked my mother-in-law for her recipe ,I just found your recipe and I will make it for Thanksgiving. I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you.
nina says
We made this for Christmas and it was amazing. I used a little less salt. Also it does take a few hours so make sure you have a good chunk of time.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Jack Smith | BBQRecipez.com says
My granny was an amazing baker too.. or at least that’s how I remember it! She made the best biscuits.. and she’d have no idea what a blog is if she was still around 😉 These potica look amazing!
Carla says
I have made this but the top crust rises & pulls away from the body of the roll. Do I have too much flour as it rolls up? Should I prick the loaf as I roll it up? Even as I slice it the top crust falls away from the loaf? I an puzzled as I have made this many times & cannot figure out why this is happening?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Carla, this was a guest post done for me and unfortunately I can’t get a hold of the person that wrote the post, so I don’t have an answer or you
Naterica says
I just watched the American Baking show and they said that happens from the steam that comes off the filling, that the top crust needs to be rolled thinner…
Rajki says
My mother told me to brush egg whites on rolled dough .yes, it have to be rolled thinly roll it tightly