Croatian Žganci Recipe

Žganci is a traditional Croatian dish made using flour or fine grains, salt and water. It is cooked until all the water has been absorbed leaving behind a thick mixture. It’s served with additional toppings and eaten as a main meal at any time of the day.

Žganci can be made from buckwheat flour or coarse cornmeal. When made with buckwheat it is described as porridge or as a polenta when made from cornmeal. It has a unique plating method.

Using a large spoon to scoop up a big portion of the mixture, another spoon or fork is used to scrape off smaller bite sized pieces onto the serving plate, giving it the appearance of large crumbles.

Some recipes are made with dairy for a creamy texture. Ajdovi žganci is the variation made with buckwheat that is eaten topped with pork cracklings. Beside pork cracklings, other common topping are meats like sausage, when making a savory žganci and milk, honey or yogurt for sweet žganci which is preferred for breakfast.

Bijeli žganci is a variation made with flour, potatoes and eaten topped with sour cream, caramelized onions and herbs. There are also runny versions. One runny version made from cornmeal, is poured in a thin layer over a plate and left to cool where is becomes firm and is eaten cold accompanied with other foods such as fried pork belly.

Origin & Cultural Significance

Žganci is also called poor man’s dish. It was typically made with roughly milled corn which was an affordable grain.

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Croatian Žganci Recipe

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Žganci is a traditional Croatian dish made using flour or fine grains, salt and water. It is cooked until all the water has been absorbed leaving behind a thick mixture.

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Ingredients

• Buckwheat flour - 2 cups
• Water - 4 cups
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Pork rind in lard - 100g

Instructions

1. Place a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the buckwheat flour and pan-fry for 2 - 3 minutes or until it becomes fragrant, stirring regularly to prevent burning.
3. Pour water into a saucepan and place over high heat.
4. When the water starts to boil, pour all the flour in the center of the pot.
5. Return to a boil, then simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.
6. Using a wooden spoon make a 1-inch-wide hole in the center of the buckwheat to create a volcano shape so that the water can pour into the center.
7. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 - 25 minutes.
8. Using a wooden spoon, stir the porridge well to get a thick mixture without any traces of flour. The zganci should be sticky and thick, with a clay-like texture. If it is too dry and doesn't stick together, gradually add about 1/4 cup of the cooking water until sticky.
9. Place a skillet over medium heat.
10. Add the pork rind in lard and fry for a couple of minutes until the meat is golden brown and crunchy.
11. Scoop up some of the buckwheat mixture using a wooden spoon, then using a fork, scrape the porridge into a serving bowl to get small pieces of zganci.
12. Sprinkle the cracklings or pancetta over the buckwheat porridge and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 726mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 6gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.