Entertaining Croatian Village Cooking

I was brought up in Canada by Croatian parents, and I have lived in Victoria, BC Canada for all of my life. I have visited Croatia two times. The life and food is very simple especially in the villages. I watched how the locals cooked and was amazed by the flavors and hospitality. I sat down to the humble Croatian table. The people expressed their kindness by insisting that I eat more. Whatever food was on the table, it was meant to be eaten by all. There were no set portions, we ate until the food and wine was consumed.

The best part of the seven Croatian recipes is that most ingredients can be found in your own cupboard or refrigerator. The items can be bought in any local grocery store or grown in your backyard. The recipes are dairy free.

The recipes cost pennies to make and their simplicity reflects village life. Italian influence is evident especially in the coastal village food like Tinj, Croatia where my husband was born. He grew up eating whatever was on the table. He watched his mother and grandmother prepare and serve these recipes.

People in the village produce their own food and to sell at the local marketplace. Their favorite vegetables are lettuce, tomatoes, onions and most of all, potatoes. Today, their flour or bread is brought in from town but they used to grow wheat and make their own flour.Croatians love to produce a fresh meal and they are proud in that they always make more for the meal that what can be eaten. So, don’t hesitate to double these low-cost recipes. The recipes are filling and delicious! Enjoy!

Recipes

Ustipke
Potato Paprika Saute
Saft
Roasted Potatoes and Vegetables
Tomato and Onion Salad
Light Potato Salad
Sauteed Bread Puffs

About the Author

Lily Elric was brought up in Canada by Croatian parents, and has lived in Victoria, BC Canada for all of her life. She has visited Croatia, and has learned about Croatian cuisine through her parents and her Croatian husband.

She is the author of two cookbooks, Very Vegetarian-Thrifty Appetizers, Main Meals and Desserts in Minutes! and Stir Crazy-20 Stirring Recipes for Kids!.

You can reach Lily via e-mail at lily.erlic@shaw.ca.