Cuisine Featured: Croatian
The Melting Pot section is where we have placed recipes for cuisines brought to America by the many immigrants to our shores. Over the years these cuisines have been Americanized, i.e., most viewers of our site have probably been exposed to many of these cuisines, either via the dining-out route or, perhaps, directly within our own families due to the multi-ethnic makeup therein. As an example of this multi-ethnicity within a single family, I can cite my own case-- My family consists of the following ethnicities: English, Irish, Scottish, German, Polish and Greek. Is it any wonder then that America is called the Melting Pot?
At the bottom of this page, you will have an opportunity to E-mail us and give us your thoughts on this page. We encourage this. After all, we will be tailoring this "Cooking Around the World" series according to the wishes of our viewers.
14 T unsalted butter, softened 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 T plus 3½ c all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt
¾ c sugar ¼ tsp baking soda
3 eggs 1 tsp double-acting baking
½ c sour cream powder
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DOUGH: With a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 10-by-15-inch
baking dish with 2 T of the softened butter, and sprinkle the butter with
2 T of the flour. Tip the dish from side to side to distribute the flour
evenly, then turn it over and tap it gently to dislodge any excess flour.
Set the dish aside.In a large mixing bowl, cream the remaining 12 T of butter and ¾ c of sugar together by beating them against the sides of the bowl with a wooden spoon until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
Sift together 3½ c of flour, the salt, baking soda and baking powder, and add it, ¼ c at a time, to the creamed butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until the dough is smooth and soft. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
FILLING:
2 c ground walnuts 4 medium-sized apples (about 1½ pounds),
1 c sugar cored, peeled, and thinly sliced (4 c)
2 tsp grated lemon rind 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 T milk
½ tsp nutmeg Confectioners' sugar
1 c seedless raisins
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FILLING: Place the walnuts in a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 c sugar,
the lemon rind, nutmeg and raisins.Cut the chilled dough in half and refrigerate one half, wrapped in wax paper. Place the other half on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Fit the rectangle of dough into the prepared baking dish and press it into the corners with your fingers. Sprinkle the dough with one quarter of the walnut mixture, then spread 1 c of the sliced apples on top. Alternate layers of the wanut-and-raisin mixture with layers of apples until you have used all of the filling.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Roll the remaining half of the dough between two sheets of wax paper into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Peel off the top sheet and lift the dough, still on the bottom sheet of wax paper, and invert it onto the filling. Peel off the wax paper and brush the top layer of dough with the egg-and-milk mixture.
Bake the pita in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Cool slightly before sprinkling with confectioners' sugar and cutting into squares. Makes about 14 squares.
