Potica Nut Roll

Whether you spell it potica or povitica (or something completely different), this Slovenian sweet nut roll bread is better than cinnamon swirl bread, in my biased opinion.

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When Christmas rolls around, fruit cakes start appearing along with many other traditional Christmas recipes. While my dad does make a killer fruit cake, the pastry I most look forward to is Potica. Potica looks like cinnamon swirl bread but it’s got a little extra that make it that much better.

Potica is a Slovenian dense, sweet, yeast nut bread cut from tightly rolled loaves. I remember this being the number one thing Grandma would bake whenever she came to visit. Quite possibly my favorite part of being Slavic.

It comes in many different shapes and sizes but for my family’s recipe the sweet, yeast pastry dough is rolled out really thin and then spread with a coating of ground up nuts and sugar before being rolled up and baked (we use a clean sheet of floured fabric to make rolling easier).

Sometimes it’s a straight log, sometimes it gets bent it into a horse shoe shape, and other times it gets baked in a bundt cake pan. Whatever shape you prefer it’ll come up just right. What’s important to me is toasting a slice and then spreading butter on it. Holy yum.

However, my grandmother is one of those magic bakers that never needs a recipe, ever. So when her children asked for the recipe for her Potica, each one received different versions. This resulted in my dad attempting to find the best combination from each recipe, and I am posting his results. He found the perfect balance between the bread and nut filling.

My dad actually came to visit this past weekend and since I had never attempted to make this myself before, so I thought I’d let the recipe be passed down the generations properly. This was one of our activities for the weekend! I love baking and cooking with my dad. I love baking and cooking with almost anyone actually.

My favorite way to eat this is toasted with some butter spread over. It’s great for breakfast, but sweet enough to pass for dessert as well. Although it does take a bit of effort to make, it is surely worth it. And please use a floured cloth or parchment paper to roll the dough out on. It makes the rolling up step soooo much easier!

Post updated 10/18/21, last picture above is the original.

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POTICA NUT ROLL

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Yield: 2 loaves Prep Time: 8 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

DOUGH

• 3-1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup scalded milk
• 1-1/2  sticks of unsalted oleo*
• 3 egg yolks beaten
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar + 2 Tbsp
• 1 package yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water

FILLING

• 1 lb walnuts (4 cups if you don't have a scale), ground fine in food processor
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 egg whites beaten fluffy
• 1/2 cup hot milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat milk and oleo until oleo melts. Cool to lukewarm.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 2 Tbsp sugar in 1/4 cup warm water.
3. In a large bowl, add 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and oleo/milk mixture. Add half of the flour and beat well. Add yeast mix,  egg yolks, and remainder of flour.  Beat well (dough will be sticky). Sprinkle with four, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
4. To make filling, in a medium bowl mix ground nuts, hot milk, sugar and vanilla. All to cool to room temperature before adding fluffy egg whites. Fold them into mixture, and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Roll half the dough onto a floured cloth or parchment paper into an 18”X18” square.
7. Spread half of the nut mix onto dough. Roll up with the help of the cloth/paper, seal ends and place seam side down in a greased tube pan, cake pan or cookie sheet. Prick top with fork. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
8. Bake for 30-40 min or till brown.

Notes

*Or margarine

Source: My dad, adapted from my Grandmother.

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