Slovenska hisa Figovec ★ 4.3
Figovec opened in 1879 as a coachman's inn and reopened as the flagship of the Slovenska hisa family, plating the canonical Slovenian table from kranjska.
History
Potica appears in the first book printed in the Slovenian language in the 16th century. The name comes from the verb poviti, to wrap. Traditional fillings divide by social class: walnut and cream for wealthy households, herbed fillings for working families. EU Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) since April 2021. Served at Christmas, Easter, weddings.
Common allergens: Gluten, Egg, Walnut
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 500g 00 flour
- 60g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 20g fresh yeast or 7g instant
- 250ml warm milk
- 100g butter, melted
- 2 egg yolks
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 300g walnuts, ground
- 150g honey
- 100ml double cream
- 50g sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 egg for the filling
- 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk for glazing
Method
- Dissolve yeast in 100ml warm milk. Combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast mixture, remaining milk, butter, egg yolks and lemon zest. Knead 10 minutes to a smooth elastic dough. Cover and prove 1 hour.
- Combine ground walnuts, warm honey, cream, sugar, cinnamon and egg in a bowl to a thick paste.
- Roll the dough out on a floured cloth to a 50 by 70cm rectangle, no thicker than 3mm.
- Spread the walnut filling evenly to within 2cm of the edges.
- Roll up tightly from the long side using the cloth to lift the dough. Pinch the seam closed.
- Place in a buttered potica mould or large loaf tin. Prove 30 minutes. Brush with egg-yolk glaze.
- Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes until deep golden. Cool fully before slicing.
Tip from the editors. Roll the dough as thin as you can without tearing. A thick layer of dough swamps the filling and ruins the spiral.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat potica
Potica in Ljubljana
Pekarna Osem ★ 4.4
Why locals love it: Andrej Gerzelj's Stari trg sourdough bakery is small enough to miss, fronting onto a quiet cobbled square. The city's best country loaf.
Tip: Saturday morning sells through the daily loaves quickly. Get there before 11:00.
Vodnikov Hram ★ 4.2
Vodnikov Hram in vaulted stone cellars on the market square plates Slovenian classics through the seasons: jota, kranjska klobasa and prekmurska gibanica.
More cities are in research. Want potica covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.