History
Croatian immigrants settled Strawberry Hill, the bluff overlooking the Kansas and Missouri river confluence, from the 1880s through World War I. Strawberry Hill Baking Company has carried the povitica tradition since 1903. The neighbourhood remains home to Krizman's Sausage and other Slavic shops; povitica is now nationally known as a Kansas City holiday gift.
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Common allergens: Gluten, Nuts, Dairy, Egg
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- For the filling:
- 4 cups walnuts, finely ground
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
Method
- Bloom the yeast in warm milk with 1 tbsp sugar for 10 minutes.
- Mix flour, sugar, butter, eggs, salt and the yeast mixture into a sticky dough. Knead 10 minutes.
- Rise covered for 90 minutes, doubled in size.
- Mix all filling ingredients into a thick paste.
- Roll the dough on a floured cloth, working it into a paper-thin rectangle the size of a tablecloth.
- Spread the filling evenly. Lift one long edge of the cloth to roll the dough into a tight log.
- Coil the log into 2 greased loaf pans in an S-shape. Rise another 30 minutes.
- Bake at 350F (175C) for 45 minutes until deeply golden. Cool completely before slicing.
Tip from the editors. The dough must be rolled until you can read newsprint through it; that's the secret to the swirled cross-section. Use a clean tablecloth for the rolling and lifting.
Where to eat povitica
Povitica in Kansas City
Strawberry Hill Povitica ★ 4.5
Strawberry Hill Baking Company in suburban Kansas City has carried the Croatian sweet-bread povitica since 1903, with the Merriam facility producing up.
TipBuy povitica gift loaves around Christmas; the bakery ships nationwide.
More places to eat in Kansas City
Not on this list, but among the highest we score in this city. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- City Market Market, our score 4.8
- Heirloom Bakery and Hearth Brunch, our score 4.8
- Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que Bbq, our score 4.8
- Arthur Bryant's Barbeque Bbq, our score 4.7
- Joe's Kansas City Z-Man American BBQ, our score 4.7
- Rye Plaza Brunch Brunch, our score 4.7
More cities are in research. Want povitica covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.