Aunt Patsys Croatian Nut Rolls Recipes

GRANDMA'S POVITISA (PO-VUH-TEET-ZUH) POVITICA CROATIAN NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Combine warm water and yeast together in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir 3/4 cup lukewarm milk, white sugar, shortening, 1 egg, and salt into yeast mixture. Mix flour into yeast mixture until a soft, easy to handle dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and let stand for 10 minutes. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball.
• Place dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, or until a hole remains when your finger is pressed deeply into the dough, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into ball and let dough rest for 15 minutes.
• Beat brown sugar, butter, and 1 egg together in a bowl until creamy. Add 1/4 cup milk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract; stir until smooth. Stir walnuts into the filling mixture until walnuts are completely incorporated.
• Roll dough on a large, floured cloth into a 20x30-inch rectangle. Spread walnut filling evenly over the top of the dough, spreading to the edges. Roll the rectangle up along the long edge like a jelly roll and pinch edges to seal. Coil the roll into a snail-shape.
• Grease a 9x13x2-inch baking sheet. Place shaped dough on the prepared sheet and let rise until an impression remains when the dough is gently pressed, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

POTICA (CROATIAN NUT ROLL)

Steps:

• Stir yeast into water.
• Mix butter, milk, sugar, and salt.
• Add egg yolks, yeast mixture and 2 cup flour.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Add remaining flour and turn dough out on a floured surface.
• Knead until smooth, elastic and does not stick to surface.
• Place in greased bowl and let rise 1 hour.
• Grease your baking pan.
• Filling: mix milk, salt, margarine and sugar.
• Heat slightly until margarine melts and sugar is dissolved.
• Add nuts then to stretch mixture you can fold in beaten egg whites.
• After it has risen, divide into 4 equal parts.
• Do not knead.
• Roll each piece to about 1/8 inch thick.
• Spread with cooled filling.
• Roll jelly-roll style and place seam down in a greased pan.
• Let rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bake 40 - 45 minutes.

HOLIDAY NUT ROLL (AMERICANIZED CROATIAN NUT ROLL)

Steps:

• Scald milk in small pan, set off burner and cool to warm. In large mixing bowl combine warm milk and yeast with wire whisk. Beat eggs in separate bowl, then add to milk. Beat milk-egg mixture by hand for 2 minutes. Mix in sugar and margarine. Add flour slowly, mixing as you go (my grandmother insists this should be done with a wood spoon). Do not rise, do not chill. Set aside.
• Chop walnuts (food processor or very finely by hand). In large mixing bowl, combine walnuts, white sugar, and milk. Mix thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients (butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, whiskey), mixing thoroughly. Filling should be thick and moist, but not stiff.
• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Separate large dough ball completely into 10-12 equal balls (simple method is to cut dough to equal portions on a cutting board with a lightly floured butcher knife then reform portions to balls).
• On a rolling board or clean counter, roll each dough ball to about 1/4 inch thickness in an oblong-oval shape. Spread nut mixture over rolled dough, covering the entirety with a thin layer, and keeping the mixture about 1/2 inch to 1 inch away from the edges of the dough.
• Form the roll first by folding the horizontal edges of the dough inwards on both the left and right sides. Then fold up the bottom of the dough about 1 1/2 inches. Each side and the bottom of the dough should now be folded in towards the middle of the rolled dough so that the nut covering is enclosed by the folded sides. Begin rolling from the bottom of the dough (where you just made the fold) towards the top. When you reach the top, fold the edges into a wide triangular flap (so that the roll will end with an overlapping wide "V"). Place the roll "V" down on a greased cookie sheet. This sounds complicated, but the basic idea is simply to close off the edges to prevent leaking--if you simply roll it like a jelly roll, the filling would ooze out and burn on the pan.
• Brush top with beaten egg (makes the roll pale gold-brown when baked).
• Repeat process to form other rolls. If nut mixture becomes thick and difficult to spread add more evaporated milk.
• Keep rolls at least 2 inches apart on baking sheets, and bake each for 20-25 minutes or until tops appear golden-brown. Cool at least 20 minutes before moving.

AUNT PATSY'S CROATIAN NUT ROLLS

Steps:

• 1. FILLING: Combine filling ingredients in a saucepan. Cook and stir until well blended. Do not boil. When hot, remove from heat to get to warm.
• 2. DOUGH: make the Hot Roll Mix according to package directions using hot water, soft butter and an egg. Then add 5 tablespoons butter.
• 3. Mix the dough using floured hands. Form into a ball. Cover with a bowl and let rest for 5 minutes.
• 4. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
• 5. Roll out 1/2 the dough. Add 1/2 the nut filling. Roll dough up into a loaf. Make second loaf. Place on 2 greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise again for 20 to 30 minutes.
• 6. Brush loaves with beaten egg. Bake at 350* for 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are brown.