Next Up: Potica/Povitica
Most people call it “potica” (poh-TEET-sa) but “povitica” (poh-VAH-teet-sah) is the name I know the best. That’s the way my high school girlfriend’s mother pronounced it. It’s sort of a nut strudel baked in a loaf pan. This should be fun!
Can’t wait for this one! My grandmother, who grew up on a homestead in New Mexico (and is of non-eastern-European stock,) made this at Christmas when my mother was little…how a recipe like this made it to rural New Mexico I’d surely like to know! They called it “po-teet-sa.”
“Po-teet-sa” is also how my husband’s Slovenian family pronounces it. I’m interested in the difference between yours and his. Any way you say it, it’s good stuff!
Thanks Dawn!
This should be good. A while ago the Daring Bakers had a run on this stuff, and there were photos of it all over the web. (Check out Tastespotting.) I never got around to baking it, so here’s my second chance. The recipes varied greatly, as is expected with a regional treat. Greg Patent calls it Potica in his book “A Baker’s Odyssey,” but says it’s pronounced “po-TEET-sa.” It looks rather complex, but it also looks like it’s worth it.
Hey Chana! I don’t think it’s too much more complicated than strudel…but I haven’t settled on a recipe yet. We’ll see! 😉
– Joe
Can’t wait!
I would love to try this but can’t see your recipe, thanks,m
Hey Mari!
I don’t have one yet. Hope to put it up later today!
– Joe
Joe, any chance you’re going to do poppy seed as well?
My grandmother’s poppy seed roll was the stuff of legend in my family, and I’d love to be able to bring that back.
My favorite. I make it quite often. My Czech grandma’s recipe. A little labor intensive but sooo worth it!
I’m search for recipes if you care to share! 😉
– Joe
I’m accepting submissions, Sherry! 😉
– Joe
I’ll definately share my recipe! Hopefully it fits in the comment box.
Drop it in! I just posted one, but all are welcome!
– Joe
I can hardly wait for this. I tasted my first Potica at a Polish wedding many years ago and have been craving it since. I even tried my hand at it a couple of times, but could not get the pastry rolled out as thin as many of the ethnic bakers say is the key to perfect potica pastry. Mine was definately too thick because I can’t roll pastry worth a darn, plus, it split along the sides as it rose during the baking. Can you give a remedy for the splitting when you explain in your instructions for baking…er, when you finally find THE recipe you like.
Can’t wait to see your version. I just learned to make my Busia’s (she passed away about 7 years ago) and I made about 8 loaves over the holidays to rave reviews. I STILL am getting people asking when I’m making it again. Beware…it’s RICH and filling! But oh-so-wonderful.
I too cannot wait for this post. I am from Bulgaria, and we call it Ba-ni-tca. In the past it may have been made with home-made , very thin strudel pastry, but these days people at home make it with ready made filo pastry.Delicious.
Where are the pictures, Joe??? I’ve been waiting all week to see if povitica is the same as my Serbian mother-in-law’s strudel. She makes it with a thick filling of poppy seeds in a milky custard type layer although I also saw it made with nuts while in Belgrade. Interestingly, I asked my husband if he knew what potica or povitica was and he had no idea. It was his blank stare that made we eager to see both the recipe and photos. You gave your dedicated fans one but now we need pictures 🙂
Coming, coming…Monday I hope!
– Joe