Happy Holidays = It’s Time for Potica

Potica by Slovenian millenial Isa Novak
Potica by Slovenian millenial Isa Novak

The scent of vanilla and cinnamon, sweet honey, delightful walnuts …. Potica.

Happiness. Mindfulness. All things magic.

Potica is a traditional Slovenian pastry consisting of yeast dough and a filling which is usually made from walnuts. For Slovenes, this traditional festive pastry symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Nowdays, potica is also a sweet ambassador of Slovenia at various international, cultural, state and sports meetings and events. How about making this sweet delight at home? Check out the recipe for walnut potica by the millenial foodie from Slovenia!

The Dough

  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • pinch of salt

cool to lukewarm and pour into a bowl, then sprinkle on top

  • 2 oz. dry yeast

and let stand for 15 minutes, after mix in

  • 2 eggs

then add and mix in

  • flour to make soft dough, approx. 5 cups.

Place the dough in a room temperature buttered bowl, cover it with a linen cloth. Let the dough raise in a lit oven for approx. 1 hour. In the meanwhile, prepare delicious filling.

The Filling

  • 2 pounds fine grinded walnuts
  • ½ cup coarsely grinded walnuts
  • 1 cup powder sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Bourbon vanilla

melt together

  • 2 teaspoons Slovenian honey
  • 1 ¼ cup milk
  • 5 teaspoons butter

mix walnut & honey mixture, then add

  • 4 egg yolks beated to soft peak stage

after slowly add

  • 4 egg whites beated

The Finishing Touch

  • 3 taspoons powder sugar
  • 10 candied cherries from Vipava Valley

After 1 hour of rest, beat the dough for 10 minutes or until it separates from the bowl, roll out the dough on well floured linen cloth (½ cm thick) and spread the filling to cover it (optional: sprinkle filling with soaked raisins). Roll tightly and put it in a greased baking mould called potičnik, cover potica and place it ina a protected area for about an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 35 to 45 minutes and let it cool in mould for 1 hour, afterwards remove potica from mould and place it on racks for additional hour. For a modern twist, a millennial Slovenian foodie Isa Novak recommends placing candied cherries from Vipava Valley on top and sprinkle potica with powder sugar. Decorate, snap & post it on Instagram! 😉


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Slovenia Meetings Team!


P. S. And of course, don’t forget to go offline every now and then.