By Sjor Adam Eterovich
Christmas is a very happy time of year for Croatians and the celebration of
Christmas. Croatians express themselves thru their food and cuisine. These
recipes are a very important part of their culture and have been passed down
for generations. Bozo Bozic says “the ingedients contain no fat or chemical
additives and have been approved by the Hrvatski Institute Za Pijani”.
CROATIAN VIRGINS BRIDAL RIBBONS
(Hrstule)
6 eggs
1/2 cube butter
1 tablesoon oil
6 tablesoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon rind
1 tablespoon salt
6 cups flour, unbleached
2 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons plum brandy
3 tablespoons brandy
3 tablespoons whiskey
3 tablespoons gin
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix together eggs, butter, sugar, oil, and flavors. Use blender or wooden
spoon until well blended. Add flour and knead until well blended.
Divide into four balls, working each ball until smooth for about 5-10
minutes. When handling dough, dust with flour to keep from getting sticky.
Place each ball into a container with lid for about 2 hours or overnight.
Keep covered at room temperature.
Heat oven and turn off. Place balls in lukewarm oven for 1 hour. Roll out
first ball from center to edges, turning as necessary, until thin. Cut into
into strips 1 1/2 “ wide. Hang strips on sheet or tablecloth over backs of
chairs. Stretch each strip before hanging. This will allow for slight drying.
Repeat with other balls.
Cut each strip and make 2 bows or knots and drop into moderately hot oil
turning to keep from darkening. When a light golden color, remove from oil,
drain and place on tray. When all have been fried, use equal amounts of
granulated and powdered sugar in sifter to dust finished Hrstule. Will keep
for several weeks.
BRAC DOUGHNUT HOLES—THE HOLE, NOT THE DOUGHNUT
(Prsurate)
Place 2 pounds of flour in large bowl. Into hole in the middle, add gradually
about a quart of hot water. Beating as you go, and sides are cleaned of
batter. Whip the batter thoroughly with the wooden spoon and add water until
the mixture begins to ball. Gradually add:
1 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
1/2 Army cup brandy or whiskey, or vodka or gin or scotch or cognac
or………..
1/2 nutmeg, grated
Zest of 1 lemon (grated peel)
2 tsp. vanilla
Blend in and whip 1/2 cup tepid water in which you let soak 6 teaspoons of
dried yeast as you begin the recipe. Let batter stand (about 15 to 20 minutes
while oil heats). Heat about 1 1/2 plus quarts light cooking oil in pan.
Whip the dough again. Have teaspoon and cup warm water handy.
When oil is hot enough (stops speaking), take a small fistful of dough and
squeeze upward a ball about double, filling the teaspoon that had been dipped
in the warm water, then drop in hot oil. Continue, dipping spoon in water
before scraping off the ball of dough, until your pan surface is nicely
filled but not crowded. Whip some more air into your dough. Turn your
prsurati when they are golden brown. When both sides are golden brown,
remove and let cool slightly before rolling in confectioners fine sugar to
coat.
BOZO’S (Chris’) WINE AND BRANDY MIXER
(Vino i Vinjak Gemished)
2 barrels
2 bottles, empty
37 corks
2 glasses, large
2 Croatians,1 male,1 female
Serves two, mixed company
2 aspirins, later
1 Church, go in morning, take female, confess, repent, sing
Mix ingedients as needed, sing; say Hvala Bogu often
Empty contents of barrel into bottles, sing; cork at room temperature, sing;
dip Kolaci, Hrstule, Prsurate, Kifli i Salame into full glass, large, sing;
drink and eat before chilled, sing.
Vinjak served best on Badnjak (Christmas Eve); Wine on Bozic (Christmas Day).
All of the above can be repeated on New Year’s Eve.
Vocabulary: trezan-sober; pijan-soused; aspirin-ahspereen; wife-zena, don’t
sing; cura-girlfriend, sing; confession-ispovijed, sing Thank God-Hvala Bogu.
distributed by CROWN (Croatian World Net) – CroworldNet@aol.com
