Bohinjski Žganci

Bohinjski Žganci (Bohinj Buckwheat Porridge)

A traditional Slovenian dense buckwheat porridge from the Bohinj valley in the Julian Alps, stirred vigorously until it forms a stiff, golden, crumbly mass. Traditionally served on a wooden board with a well in the center filled with hot milk, butter, and a generous pour of crackling sauce.

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 ml (2 cups) water, for boiling
• •1 tsp salt, for the cooking water
• •300 g (10½ oz) buckwheat flour, dark, Slovenian-style ajdova moka; a 50/50 blend with barley flour is also traditional
• •100 g (3½ oz) lard, for cooking and for the sauce
• •150 g (5¼ oz) pork cracklings (ocvirki), finely chopped, rendered from cured back fat
• •1 whole (1 medium) onion, finely chopped
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) whole milk, hot, for serving
• •30 g (2 tbsp) butter, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Bring the 500 ml of water to a rolling boil in a heavy, wide pot and stir in the salt.
2. 2 Sprinkle the buckwheat flour slowly into the boiling water with one hand while stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon or štedilček (a flat-ended stirring stick) in the other hand. This must be done quickly and continuously to prevent lumps of raw flour from forming.
3. 3 Reduce the heat to medium and keep stirring in a vigorous figure-eight motion for 12–15 minutes. The mixture should pull away from the sides of the pot and form a stiff, golden-brown mass with irregular cracked grains rather than a smooth paste. The grains should look slightly toasted and separate into crumbly clumps. If the žganci is too stiff, add a splash of boiling water; if too soft, sprinkle in more flour.
4. 4 While the žganci cooks, prepare the crackling sauce (žganci omaka): render 30 g of the lard in a small skillet over medium heat, add the chopped cracklings and fry until they sizzle and turn light golden, about 3–4 minutes.
5. 5 Add the finely chopped onion to the cracklings and fry in the lard until soft and golden, about 6–8 minutes. Keep warm.
6. 6 Spread the hot žganci onto a warmed wooden board or deep plate, pressing it down into a round mound about 4 cm (1½ in) thick.
7. 7 Use the back of a spoon to press a deep well into the center of the mound.
8. 8 Pour the hot crackling and onion sauce, along with all the rendered lard from the pan, into the well.
9. 9 Place the butter on top so it melts into the warm žganci, and serve immediately with a small jug of hot milk on the side for pouring into individual portions. Eat with a spoon, breaking off pieces and dipping them into the sauce and milk.