Basa

Basa (Slavonian Fresh Cheese and Paprika Spread)

A creamy, tangy fresh-dairy spread from Slavonia in eastern Croatia, made by whipping soft curd cheese with sour cream and sweet red paprika. Serve it thickly on fresh bread as part of a traditional Slavonian spread.

Prep

10 min

Total

10 min

Serves

6-8 as a spread

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) svježi sir (fresh soft curd cheese), drained cottage cheese or full-fat quark works; if using looser curd cheese, drain in a fine sieve for 1-2 hours first
• •200 g (7 oz (about ¾ cup)) sour cream, full-fat, around 20% fat, for the authentic richness
• •2 tsp sweet red paprika (mljevena paprika), use genuine Hungarian/Croatian sweet ground paprika, not smoked or hot; add 1 tsp at a time to taste
• •1 tsp fine salt, or to taste
• •1 small yellow onion or 1 garlic clove, optional; finely grated on a microplane so it melts into the spread

Steps

1. 1 If your svježi sir is wet, tip it into a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and let it drain in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until it holds its shape on a spoon; discard the whey or save it for soup.
2. 2 Put the drained cheese in a medium bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or hand whisk for 1-2 minutes, pressing it against the side of the bowl to break up any lumps.
3. 3 Add the sour cream and continue beating for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth, pale, and spoonable — it should fall slowly from the spoon, not run.
4. 4 Stir in the salt and, if using, the finely grated onion or garlic. Taste and adjust the salt.
5. 5 Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the sweet paprika over the surface and fold it in gently; the spread should turn a warm pinkish-orange. Add the second teaspoon if you want a deeper colour and a more pronounced paprika note, then fold once more until even.
6. 6 Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavours meld. Taste again and adjust salt or paprika just before serving.
7. 7 Serve cold, spread thickly on slices of fresh crusty bread, alongside cured meats, hard cheese, and pickled vegetables in the Slavonian style. Keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 3 days; stir before serving as it may weep slightly.