Ethnic (Bosnian) Offal Recipe (Bumbar / Širden)

This is an old recipe. Last year, during my holiday in Bosnia, I had opportunity to try making this traditional dish. My father ordered a lamb for spit roast (as we Bosnians usually do whenever big family gathering or celebrations take place) and we got internal organs with it as well. Recipe is from book 'Bosnian Cook' (I slightly  changed and adapted it).

Ingredients:
Internal organs of a lamb
(I used hart, lungs and liver)
1-2 linings of internal fat (Caul fat)
4 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
10 black pepper corns
1 tbs 'Vegeta', or any chicken / beef stock powder
1,5 cups rice (cooked in 1,5 cups water)
1 large bunch parsley leaves, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbs 'Vegeta' (chicken/beef stock powder), extra
1 tbs paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
Method:
Cook all organs (except fat linings) with bay leaves, Vegeta, peppercorns, onion and garlic in 1,5 L of water. Cook rice separately (should be half cooked / still very firm).
Preheat oven to 190*C. Take all organs out of cooking water (reserve it), and mince. Mix really well with rice, parsley leaves, paprika, vegeta, garlic and pepper. Cut internal fat linings (caul fat) into 2 large pieces . Divide mixture in 2, place onto caul fat pieces and fold shaping a parcel . Place parcels into a deep oven dish, folded side down. Pour 2-3 cups of reserved water over it and bake for 20-30 minutes or until fat melted and golden brown.



Ovo je stari recept iz knjige 'Bosanski Kuhar' (Alija Lakisic). Prosle godine (na odmoru u Bosni) sam imala priliku isprobati moje umijece na iznutricama. Tata je narucio jagnje (kao sto to svi Bosanci rade kada su velika porodicna okupljanja ili slavlja u pitanju), sa kojim smo dobili i iznutrice. Recept sam blago promijenila i adaptirala nasim potrebama. Originalni recept cu u potpunosti prenijeti na kraju ovog posta.
Sastojci:
Unutrasnji organi jagnjeta
(ja sam koristila srce, jetru i pluca)
1-2 trbusne 'maramice'
4 lista lovora
2 cena bijelog luka
1 crveni luk
10 zrna crnog bibera
1 K Vegete (ili slicno)
1,5 solja rize (skuhane u 1,5 solju vode)
1 veca veza persunovog lisca, sjeckana
3-4 cena bijelog luka, protisnuta
1 K Vegete
1 K crvene paprike
1 k svjeze mljevenog crnog bibera
so prema ukusu
Nacin:
Skuhajte unutrasnje organe (samo ne maramicu) u 2 l vode sa lovorom, biberom, oba luka i Vegetom. Skuhajte rizu posebno; treba biti upola skuhana i ostati jos cvrsta.
Ukljucite rernu na 190*C.
Izvadite organe iz vode (sacuvajte je) i sameljite. Pomijesajte sa rizom i ostalim sastojcima. Dobro promijesajte. Izrezite maramicu na 2 dijela. Na svaki dio stavite pola punjenja i zamotajte u loptu. Slazite u dublju vatrostalnu posudu/tepsiju, sa zavijenom stranom na dole. Zalijte sa 2-3 solje vode u kojoj ste kuhali organe. Pecite 20-30 minuta ili dok se mast ne otopi i ne postane zlatno-zuta.
Evo i originalnog recepta:

Bosanski Širden 
"Uzmi jagnjecu bijelu i crnu dzigericu,operi ih i metni da se kuhaju u slanoj vodi. U medjuvremenu skuhaj pola solje pirinca sa jednom soljom vode.
Tada isprigaj glavicu sitno rezanog crvenog luka na kasicici masti i na taj luk dodaj kuhane dzigerice, koje si sitno isjeckala i sve malo preprigaj, onda saspi kuhani pirinac, ulij 3 jajeta, metni soli, bibera, persunova lista i 3 cesna sitno sjeckanog bijelog luka. Sve izmijesaj i saspi u jagnjecu maramicu, uvij maramicu da nadjev ne ispada, metniu podmazanu tepsiju i peci u rerni. Kada je lijepo porumenio, serviraj topao."

Quick Burek (with ready made Phyllo Pastry)

A few of my (Aussie) friends have asked for a burek recipe with commercial phyllo pastry. Here it is!

Ingredients:
1 packet phyllo pastry, 375 g (you might not need all)
1 tbs oil
2 onions, diced
400-500 g mince
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
50 ml oil (3 tbs + 1tsp)
1/3 cup sparkling water (+ jar to mix it with oil)

Method:
Sautee onion in oil, add mince and spices. Cook until meat change colour. Let it cool. Pour oil and water in a jar with lid.
Preheat oven to 190*C; prepare a round pan (pizza - 30 cm), spray with oil.
Place 5 sheets of phyllo pastry on bottom of pan, laying them over the edges of the pan.
Sprinkle each layer of pastry in the pan with water/oil mixture (shake every time before sprinkling). Place 1/2 of mince mixture, crush 4-5 sheets of pastry (to cover mince; alternatively you can layer 4-5 sheets) , sprinkle with water/oil. Place another 1/2 of mince, now return hanging sheets to cover mince, sprinkling each sheet again. At top place one, or two whole sheets, sprinkle with oil/water again and tuck in underneath. Cover with al-foil (do not let touch pastry; it will stick during baking) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve cutting into wedges. (Fresh sliced onion, tomatoes or drinking yogurt is traditionally served with burek).

Brzi Burek sa gotovim korama

Nekoliko mojih (Australijskih) prijatelja je pitalo za burek recept sa gotovim korama. Evo ga!

Potrebno:
1 pakovanje tankih kora za pitu (375 gr, necete sve potrositi)
1 K ulja
2 crvena luka, sjeckana
400-500 gr mljevene govedine
1 k soli
1/2 k crnog bibera
1/2 k kima u prahu
50 ml ulja
80-90 ml mineralne vode (+ 1 tegla za pomijesati sa uljem)

Nacin:
Zagrijte ulje, proprzite luk. Dodajte meso i zacine, przite dok meso ne promijeni boju. Ostavite prohladiti. Stavite vodu i ulje u teglu sa poklopcem. 
Ukljucite rernu na 190*C; pripremite okrugli (pica) pleh. Nauljite ga pa postavite 5 listova tijesta, tako da krajevi vise preko ivica. Pospricajte svaku koru sa mjesavinom ulja i vode (protresite svaki put prije spricanja). Postavite 1/2 mesa preko dna tepsije; zguzvajte 4-5 kora, postavite preko mesa (mozete ih i postaviti bez kidanja i guzvanja). Pospricajte emulzijom obilato svaki sloj, zatim postavite drugu 1/2 mesa. Zavrnite kore koje su visile preko tepsije, spricajuci svaku. Na povrsinu stavite jednu ili dvije cijele kore, i fino ih podvucite ispod. Pospricajte ponovo, pokrijte al-folijom (pazeci da ne nalegne na tijesto - zalijepice se) i pecite oko 30 min. Skinite foliju pa dopecite jos 5 minuta. Servirajte toplo sa (luk salatom, paradajzom ili jogurtom).

Banjalučki ćevap (Chevups from Banja Luka)

Finally I took some time in having a look at some new blogs from my birth country. There are soooo many bloggers there; very creative and imaginative people. I like the fact that that part of the world has many influences in cooking. From eastern side Turkish, then Mediterranean  and Greek around the south, Hungarian, Polish and even Russian at north, to western side with influence of Germans and Italians.
Following recipe is influenced by Turkish cuisine. During Ottoman period in Bosnia, many people adopted Turkish way of cooking. This kind of chevups (ćevapi - famous skinless sausages) are made exclusively around Banja Luka (second largest city in Bosnia). A bit smaller chevups than ordinary are 'stuck' togheter in 4 or 5, then grilled as usual. They're always served with lepina (somun) and some freshly sliced onion.

Happy Eid (Bayram - another thing coming from Turks) to those who celebrate today!



Konacno sam nasla malo vremena da pogledam nove blogove iz moje zemlje (bivse). Jako mnogo blogera dolaze odatle; veoma kreativni i mastoviti ljudi! Volim cinjenicu da je taj dio svijeta bio tako mnogo pod uticajem mnogih drugih zemalja. Sa istoka Turska, zatim Grci i druge mediteranske zemlje oko juga, Madjari, Poljaci, pa cak i Rusi na sjeveru, i s a zapada Nijemci i Italijani.
Sljedeci recept je naslijedje Turske kuhinje. Tokom Otomanskog perioda u Bosni, mnogi ljudi su usvojili turski nacin kuhanja.
Ova vrsta cevapa (ćevapi - poznati u svijetu kao 'kobasice bez omotaca') je pripremana iskljucivo oko Banja Luke. Nesto manji cevapi nego inace se sastave (4-5 zajedno) i zatim peku na rostilju. Cevapi se iskljucivo serviraju sa  lepinom (somun) i svjezim crvenim lukom.

Sretan 'Bajram' (jos nesto naslijedjeno od Turaka) onima koji danas slave!

'Bučnica'- Pumpkin Pie (ethnic food of Zagorje)

Zagorje is a part of Croatia, located north of Zagreb (capital city). It means 'beyond the mountain' (Medvednica mountain). People there have a specific dialect, called kajkavski and are fans of Bučnica (Boochnitza) - Philo pastry pie with pumpkin (buča) and cheese. White pumpkins are mostly used for this pie, but I couldn't find it in Australia, so I used Jap pumpkin.

Ingredients:

-Dough / pastry

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1-2 tbs oil

300 ml water

Filling-

500 g grated pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp salt

500 g ricotta (or similar) cheese

2 eggs

salt and white pepper

Topping-

300 ml sour cream

1 egg

pinch of salt

Method:

Make a soft dough from all ingredients for pastry. Divide in 2 balls, dust both sides with flour, cover with a clean cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle salt over grated pumpkin, mix and set aside.

Mix ricotta and eggs, season. After 10 minutes, squeeze moisture out of pumpkin and mix in with ricotta mixture.

Swith your oven to 200*C; 180 fan forced.

Stretch your dough over a clean large tablecloth, fill edges with filling and shape into logs. Place filo pastry into an oiled square dish. Repeat with other ball of dough. 

If you need reference on how to stretch dough and shape rolls, look here.

Cut prepared pastry into 3 (across the logs), oil the surface (spray OK) and  place into oven and bake for 25+ minutes. Take out and spread mixture of sour cream, egg and a pinch of salt. Return to oven for another 5 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Enjoy warm!

Znamo sta je 'Zagorje' i gdje se nalazi. Znamo i da tamo imaju specificno simpaticno narjecje (Kajkavski) i da vole 'Bučnicu' - pitu od vucenog tijesta, filovanu bundevom / tikvom / bučom i sirom.  Zagorsko jelo u najboljem izdanju!
Obzirom da u mom mjestu ne mogu pronaci 'nase' bundeve / bucnice, koristila sam tzv 'Jap' tikvu.

Potrebno:

Jufke / vuceno tijesto-

3 solje brasna

1 k soli

1-2 K ulja

300 ml vode

Fil- 

500 gr rendane / ribane bucnice / bundeve

1 1/2 k soli

500 gr svapskog / rikota sira

2 eggs

so i bijeli biber

Preliv-

300 ml vrhnja

1 jaje

prstohvat soli

Nacin:

Umijesite mekano tijesto , podijelite na 2 lopte, pobrasnite obje strane i pokrijte cistom krpom. Ostavite oko 30 minuta da se odmori.

Umijesajte so u rendanu tikvu, ostavite po strani 10 minuta.

Pomijesajte sir sa jajima, zasolite. Ocijedite tikvu, pa i nju ubacite i izmijesajte.

Ukljucite rernu na 200 *C (180* sa fenom).

Razvucite lopte tijesta, filujte krajeve sa bucnicom i smjestite u cetvrtasu tepsiju.

Ako vam treba objasnjenje kako razvuci i oblikovati tijesto, pogledajte ovdje.

Izrezite poprijeko na 3 dijela, nauljite povrsinu i smjestite u rernu. Pecite 25+ minuta; izvadite prelijte sa vrhnjem u koje ste umijesali jaje i malo soli i vratite u rernu na jos 5 minuta, ili dok se vrnje na istopi i postane zlatno-zuto. Uzivajte dok je toplo!