Slovenian Recipes

Bleki are nothing more than homemade pasta or egg noodles, cut into square or rectangular shapes. I discovered bleki in the course of tracking down my grandmother's Mystery Soup, which turned out to be the Slovenian take on pasta fazool, or pasta and bean soup.  But evidently the pasta had the starring role, at least in my mother's family, since she referred to the soup simply as "black-eh." In fact, bleki have an oddly exalted status in Slovenian cooking.  An entry on the official Slovenian Tourist Board website describes this "simple dish"  as a "special treat." Bleki were associated with special occasions in rural life, like finishing up the harvest or picking grapes.  A recent cookbook by a Slovenian academician and cooking expert describes it as a "high dish," often served with a cream sauce and pancetta. To make the bleki for the pašta fažul ,. It's a simple recipe: 2 eggs 1 1/4 c. flour 1/4 t. salt Mix and knea...

I was hot on the trail of my grandmother's Mystery Soup. It was a food recollection that surfaced a few years ago.  My mother remembered a special thick bean soup my grandmother used to bring to her, in the early years of her marriage.  No one had a car, so Grandma had to take the bus to deliver it. The name sounded like "black-y" with an exaggerated Slovenian accent. I could picture it so clearly.  My grandma on the bus, in a housedress.  Week after week, carrying a big  jar of her precious homemade soup to the young married couple.  I figured it must be a thick dark porridge, something like black bean soup. I kept looking through my Slovenian cookbooks, but I couldn't find a soup that matched the name or the description. "You're sure that's what it was called?"  I asked my mother. Yes.  She kept repeating the name, with growing insistence.  Now it sounded more like "blahk-eh." "It was made with black beans, right?...

I used to watch her roll out noodle dough on the wooden table of her little kitchen in Cleveland.  She made it look so easy. I was fascinated by the tiny, even yellow filaments she created. My three vintage cookbooks all offered multiple recipes for noodles.  The ingredients were simple: eggs, flour, salt, sometimes a bit of water.  The proportions varied a little.  As  I suspected, the secret wasn't in the ingredients.  It was all a matter of the technique. I followed the directions of the Progressive Slovene Women. 2 eggs 1 1/4 c. flour 1/4 t. salt Beat eggs.  Add flour and salt. Knead dough until soft and pliable, adding a bit more flour if needed.  Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.   Roll out on a floured board as thin as possible. Let dry for an hour. Cut dough into four sections and put one piece on top of the other.  Roll up into a tight roll. Cut into 1/4 inch slices. Unroll.  Spread noodles on towe...

Menu Chicken Paprikash (Kokošli Paprikaš) Green Salad Chicken paprikash is familiar to most Americans.  It is another one of those Slovenian dishes with Hungarian origins. The Progressive Slovene Women offered a straightforward recipe along with the proper Slovenian name: kokošli paprikaš. I made just a few adaptations.  Instead of a whole cut up chicken, I used chicken breasts. I browned the onions and paprika before adding the chicken, not after.  I used light sour cream, just because it was on hand. The other change was unplanned.  I ended up using more flour to coat the chicken than the single tablespoon the recipe suggested.  That is probably why the sauce was a little heavier than we would have liked. 3 lb. chicken breasts (bone in) salt to season chicken flour to coat (1-3 T.) 2 T. oil 1 onion, chopped 1 1/2 T. paprika 1/8 t. cayenne 1 1/2 c. hot water 1/2 c. sour cream Cut up chicken pieces, salt them, and coat with flour. ...

  My grandmother used to bake bread and distribute the loaves to people in their Slovenian neighborhood in Cleveland.  As a little girl, my mother used to accompany her mother, when she made the rounds. "She just gave it away?" This puzzled me, because  I knew the family didn't have much money, especially during the Depression. Yes, my mother assured me.  My grandmother was an open-hearted woman who believed in sharing what she had.  Oh, one more thing.  Somewhere along the line, she got some training as a hairdresser.  So she also used to give free haircuts. These stories do fit with my own memories of my grandmother's generous spirit.  Still,  I can't help but wonder if there might have been some bartering going on, or if she had a little business on the side. Grandma's Homemade Bread, as we always called it, was a high point of our regular Sunday afternoon gatherings at the little bungalow she shared with Grandpa.  They co-...

I found a recipe for “Holiday Sangria” on Pinterest that looked delicious, so I decided to try it.  Our family always has an awesome New Year’s Eve party, and this year was no exception.  You may be thinking “A New Year’s Eve party with your family Court’s Holiday Sangria: 1 (750 ml) bottle of red zinfandel 1 bottle cranberry-pomegranate juice 1 cup orange juice 1 cup simple syrup 1 apple, halved and thinly sliced 1 orange, halved and thinly sliced 1 lemon, halved and thinly 1 cup fresh cranberries Sparkling water Add everything together except the sparkling water, and let it chill out in the fridge overnight.  Add the sparkling water right before serving (I think I did about half of a 2 liter bottle- so about 1 liter!). It was a hit at the party, so I think we’ll have to bring it back next year too!

I’ve tried recipes for black bean brownies before (1 can beans, pureed + 1 box brownie mix= a pretty tasty fudgy brownie….by the way that’s a recipe I learned from a friend’s mom) so I thought it was high time to address a high protein, high fiber, low fat solution to the brownie’s paler cousin, the blondie.  Don’t be afraid. You really can’t taste the beans unless you’re looking for them.  I’m still fiddling around with this recipe, but they were a hit with my family- gone in 2 days! (I thought they were much better warm and on the first day)  I know some of you will think this is disgusting, but if I gave it to you without telling you what was in it….you might just like it! (But of course, I wouldn’t do that to you. So, without further ado, here’s the recipe.  Try it out yourself!  It’s also good with butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips added! 1 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar 1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed ½ cup skim milk 1 ...