Šporki Makaruli: Dubrovnik’s “Dirty Macaroni” Beef Ragù
Home Šporki makaruli, often translated as “dirty macaroni,” carries a name that sounds playful, yet the dish tells a precise story about Dubrovnik’s social customs, feast days, and careful thrift in the kitchen. In the old Republic of Ragusa, households prepared a generous meat ragù for the Feast of St. Blaise, the city’s patron saint. […]
Makaruni (Makaruli) – Long Dalmatian Pasta
Home Makaruli is a type of pasta that hails from the culinary traditions of Mediterranean, especially the Dalmatian region of Croatia. This ancient pasta form represents centuries of gastronomic heritage along Croatia’s sun-drenched Adriatic coastline, where simple ingredients transform into profound expressions of regional identity. The traditional art and skill of making Žrnovski makaruni, macaroni from […]
Šurlice: Croatia’s Hand-Rolled Island Pasta
Home On the northern Croatian island of Krk, a plate of šurlice tells an entire story in flour and water. Long, hollow tubes of dough, curled around a knitting needle and left to dry on floured cloths, form one of the island’s signature foods and a culinary emblem for the broader Kvarner region. Simple ingredients […]
Fuži – Short, Rolled Istrian Pasta
Home Fuži, a symbol of Istria’s culinary heritage, appears on the table like a treasured heirloom. It is a short tube, rolled from a diamond-shaped piece of dough, holding sauce within. Each carefully pinched fold ensures that sauce clings to every surface. This shape transforms humble ingredients into something special. The result is pasta that […]
Špek – Smoked Bacon from Continental Croatia
Home In continental Croatia, špek (also called slanina) is the beloved smoked bacon or pork fat that flavors many hearty dishes. This slab of cured pork belly or back fat is salt-cured and cold-smoked over wood, giving it a deep smoky aroma and rich taste. Compared to panceta, špek has a firmer texture and more […]
Panceta – Dalmatian Cured Pork Belly
Home Dalmatian panceta is a richly cured pork belly that epitomizes the hearty flavors of inland Dalmatian cuisine. Protected by EU law as a regional specialty, this rosy, fat-layered meat is affectionately called “the king of the table” in Dalmatia. Prepared by rubbing pork belly with sea salt, cold-smoking it over hardwood, then air-drying for […]
Istrian and Dalmatian Pršut – Dry-Cured Ham from the Adriatic
Home Along the sun-warmed eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, where limestone karst meets azure water and the cold Bora wind sweeps down from mountain passes, a centuries-old tradition of meat curing has produced one of Europe’s most revered hams. Croatian pršut—pronounced prr-SHOOT—stands as the nation’s definitive contribution to global charcuterie, a dry-cured ham that rivals […]
Češnjovka – Garlic-rich Sausage from Turopolje
Home Česnjovka, often called “garlic sausage,” stands out among the treasured meats of continental Croatia for its bold, unmistakable flavor. It comes from the Turopolje region south of Zagreb, particularly the historic town of Samobor, where families have perfected this sausage recipe for generations. The sausage’s very name comes from the Croatian word for garlic […]
Roasted Pheasant with Root Vegetables – Rustic Countryside Roast
Home Roasted pheasant is a beloved symbol of rustic Croatian cuisine, especially in hunting regions and mountain households. This slender game bird, roasted whole, offers lean, tender meat and a delicate game flavor. Often brined or rubbed with herbs beforehand, the pheasant is roasted atop a bed of root vegetables – carrots, celery, onions and […]
Wild Duck with Sauce – Rustic Croatian Hunting Dish
Home Wild duck has long been prized in Croatia’s hunting culture. A whole duck roasted slowly in a dark sauce yields a rich, robust flavor unlike any domestic poultry. As the bird bakes, its rendered fat infuses the sauce with deep game notes, often accented by juniper, garlic and red wine. This rustic dish is […]
