Mlinci

Mlinci (pronounced mlinci) are a humble dish typical of Balkan cuisine, particularly Croatian, Serbian, and Slovenian. The Zagorski Mlinci PGI, number 11 of Croatia's PGIs, was registered in the 2019 Official Journal of the European Union in the Food category.

They appear as a sort of dry piadina that was stored in closed boxes, composed of a thin layer of cooked dough with irregular edges, slightly rounded and with characteristic bubbles due to the swelling of the dough during cooking.

Originally, they were made by combining just wheat flour, water, and salt, and cooked on the very hot griddle of a spargher (a wood-fired stove) or on top of bread for the last five minutes of baking. Nowadays, however, a second school of thought has emerged: aromatic herbs, eggs, and/or oil can also be added to the dough for a more flavorful finish.

Traditionally, this dish was accompanied on holidays with “supeta” (sauce) made from hot roast chicken, turkey, duck or goat.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 500 g of 00 flour
• 270 ml water
• salt to taste
• (5 eggs)
• (5 tablespoons olive oil)
• (aromatic herbs)

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients first with a fork and then with your hands. Knead for 6-7 minutes, divide the dough into 6 pieces, dust with flour, and let it rest for an hour under a tea towel. Roll out the resulting dough to a thickness of 1-2 mm. Place the dough on a hot griddle for 3 minutes on each side, or in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for the same amount of time.

The mlinci are then dried and stored for up to three months. When you want to eat them, simply break them into small rectangles by hand, place them in boiling water for a few minutes to rehydrate them, and then drain them before adding them to your chosen hot dish.