CHRISTMAS TURKEY

Ingredients:
1 domestic turkey (3-3.5 kg)
1.5 liters of milk
3 cloves of garlic
salt, pepper
red paprika powder

Preparation:
Soak the cleaned turkey in milk for 12 hours. Afterward, drain it, season inside and out with salt and pepper, rub the outside with red paprika, and stuff the cavity with chopped garlic. Place it in a baking dish and pour hot fat over it. Bake the turkey at 180°C for three hours, turning it frequently and basting it with its own juices during cooking. Once done, remove the turkey from the dish and strain the sauce. Serve the turkey sliced with the pan sauce, accompanied by dumplings or roasted potatoes.

Slice the cooked turkey, pour over the pan sauce, serve with a side dish, and enjoy the flavors of traditional holiday dining with your loved ones.

TURKEY WITH MLINCI

Ingredients:
Turkey
Salt
Onion
Mlinci (traditional Croatian dried dough sheets)
Lard

Preparation:
Wash the turkey thoroughly and generously season it with salt, both inside and out. Place the turkey on an oven rack and place the rack on a baking tray. Pour several tablespoons of hot lard over the turkey. Place quartered onions underneath the turkey and pour 0.5 liters of hot water into the tray. Roast the turkey at a high temperature, around 240°C, for the first 15 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 200°C and roast for approximately 2 hours, depending on the size of the turkey (about 2 hours for a 3 kg turkey). After roasting, remove the turkey and baste it with the fat that has accumulated during cooking.

In a pot, bring water to a boil depending on the amount of mlinci you are preparing. Pour the hot water over the mlinci and let them soak for 3-4 minutes. Drain them and add them to the tray where the turkey was roasting. Mix them with the roasting fat and bake them for a few more minutes in the oven.

Enjoy your meal!

Pork Belly with Pumpkin Seeds
(Recipe from the Bedem Restaurant in Varaždin)

Ingredients:

• 800 g pork belly
• 100 g pumpkin seeds
• 100 g carrots
• 100 g celery
• 100 g onions
• 30 g garlic
• 50 ml oil
• Thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• Bay leaf

Preparation:

1. Shape and flatten the pork belly, season with thyme, salt, and pepper, then roll it up.
2. Place the rolled pork belly in a baking tray with carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and bay leaves.
3. Add oil and water, then slow roast at 140°C for 3 hours.
4. Once the meat is cooked, slice it, roll the slices in pumpkin seeds, and toast in the oven at 200°C for 5-7 minutes.
5. Serve with a vegetable or mashed potato side.

TUROPOLJE WHITE POLENTA

Ingredients:
Potatoes
All-purpose flour
Onion
Lard
Salt

Preparation:
Peel the potatoes, dice them, and cook them in salted water (enough water to cover the potatoes). When the potatoes are cooked, mash them thoroughly (do not drain the water). Then mix in the flour (approximately half the amount of the potatoes) and cook everything together over low heat, stirring constantly for about 15 minutes. The mixture should be quite compact but still stirrable; if necessary, add more flour or water.

In a pan, melt the lard and add finely chopped onion, frying it until golden brown. Scoop the potato mixture with a spoon to form dumplings and add them to the fried onion. If desired, you can prepare a topping from "trop" (fried sour cream) or add some bacon. Enjoy your meal!

Miner's Pie (Rudarska Greblica)

Ingredients:
Dough:

• 400 g all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon lard
• 200 ml homemade cream
• A pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk
• A pinch of yeast (tip of a knife)

Filling:

• 1 drained homemade cow's cheese
• 1 egg white
• 2 whole eggs
• Salt to taste
• Chopped spinach (fresh, first lightly salt and squeeze out excess moisture, then add the spinach leaves to the cheese)

Preparation:
Mix all the ingredients for the dough and cover with a lid to let the dough rest (preferably the day before or at least for an hour, in a plastic bag to prevent a crust from forming).

While the dough rests, prepare the filling (cheese mixture) and mix it well. Roll out the dough on a flat surface. Grease a baking dish with lard. Place the dough in the dish so that the top edges hang over the sides, then spread the cheese mixture on the bottom part. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges. Brush with homemade cream or cooking cream (3 tablespoons).

Bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes, let it cool slightly, and enjoy your pie. Bon appétit!

PLEŠIVIČKI COPANJEK

Ingredients:
500 g all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lard
3 tablespoons sour cream
50 ml milk
Salt to taste

Filling:
500 g fresh cheese
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs
Chopped parsley or green onion leaves
Salt to taste

Instructions:
In a bowl, combine the flour, lard, sour cream, milk, and salt. Knead the dough until smooth, then let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. In another bowl, mix the fresh cheese, melted butter, eggs, chopped parsley (or green onion leaves), and salt to taste until well combined.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Grease a baking tray and sprinkle it with some flour.
Divide the rested dough into two portions. Roll out each portion thinly to fit the baking tray.
Spread half of the dough with the cheese filling. Cover with the other half of the dough and seal the edges to prevent the filling from leaking out.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Serve the copanjek warm or cold, depending on your preference. For a complete experience, enjoy it with a glass of fine white Plešivica wine.

TUROPOLJE ŠTRUKLI

Ingredients:
500 g all-purpose flour
1 dcl oil
5 dcl water
Salt to taste

Filling:
400 g fresh cheese
400 ml cream
2 eggs
Salt to taste

Preparation:
From the flour, oil, salt, and lukewarm water, knead a smooth dough. Coat it with oil and let it rest for a while (at least half an hour). Mix the fresh cow cheese with the eggs, salt, and a bit of cream. Then roll out the dough and stretch it further with your hands to make it thin. Place the filling on the edge of the dough, roll it up, and then cut the štrukli using the edge of a plate.

Place the štrukli in a greased dish and generously pour sour cream over them, then bake in the oven at 200°C for half an hour.

If you prefer them boiled, place them in boiling salted water. When they float to the surface, cook them a little longer, drain, and pour over reduced homemade cream (trop) and butter.

To make these Turopolje štrukli a special delicacy, add some grated Turopolje truffles and surprise your family or guests with unique aromas.

Samobor Cream Cake (Samoborska Kremšnita)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg flour
• 1 kg margarine
• Salt, water

For the cream:

• 3 l milk
• 24 egg yolks
• 210 g all-purpose flour
• 750 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

Preparation: For the pastry: Mix the dough with the listed ingredients (flour, margarine, salt, and water), then fold it four times, similar to making puff pastry. Let it rest for a bit, then bake in the oven. Afterward, prepare the cream.

For the cream: Pour the milk into a pot and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, remove two ladles of milk and mix it with the 24 egg yolks, whisking until frothy. Gradually add the flour while stirring to avoid lumps. Then, add the rest of the milk to the egg mixture and cook on high heat until it boils again. Let it boil for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the bottom from burning.

Meanwhile, make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites for five minutes without sugar, then gradually add the sugar and continue whisking for another five minutes.

Pour the yolk cream into the meringue and mix gently. Pour this mixture over one layer of the baked pastry, then place the second layer on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and feel free to serve it warm.

VARAŽDIN CORNBREAD (VARAŽDINSKI KLIPIČ)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg all-purpose flour
• 600 ml milk
• 250 ml oil
• 80 g fresh yeast
• 25 g salt
• 1 egg
• Caraway seeds
• A little sugar

Preparation:
Mix the yeast with about 200 ml of milk, a little sugar, and a spoon of flour, then leave it in a warm place to rise. After it has risen, combine it with the flour, oil, salt, and the remaining milk, and knead into a soft dough. Leave the dough in a warm place to rise again until it doubles in size.

Once risen, divide the dough into 25 pieces, shape them into small buns, and leave them to rise again. Afterward, roll each piece into a length of about 20 cm, then roll it up from the bottom to the top, stretching it out to make the finished rolls about 25 cm long. Arrange them on a baking sheet and let them rise again.

Finally, brush the rolls with an egg wash and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake at 220°C for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they achieve a nice dark yellow to golden color.

Varaždin rolls are traditionally eaten on their own with a drink, such as homemade gemišt (a local wine and water drink), or even with coffee. Enjoy! And remember: not every roll is a Varaždin roll!

CHEESE PASTRIES
.
Ingredients:
200 g semi-hard cheese
30 g butter
Pumpkin seeds
Varazdin pumpkin oil
2 eggs
500 g all-purpose flour
250 ml milk
30 g fresh yeast
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions:
Activate the Yeast: Dissolve the yeast in a little milk and a bit of flour, allowing it to rise.

Prepare the Dough: Sift the remaining flour into a bowl. Add the eggs, the activated yeast mixture, salt, and pepper. Knead until a smooth dough forms, then let it rest for about 30 minutes.Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, mix the slightly melted butter with the cheese and pumpkin seeds until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

Roll Out the Dough: After resting, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 cm.

Spread the Filling: Spread the prepared cheese mixture over the dough. Drizzle with Varazdin pumpkin oil, then fold the dough like a book. Repeat this process two more times.

Cut and Bake: Cut the folded dough into pastry shapes and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes at 180°C (350°F) or until golden brown.

Serve: Enjoy your cheese pastries warm!