Potica
A rich, very special recipe popular in many southern European countries. This version of Potica (pronounced poh-tee-sa) features a walnut-swirl and an easy-to-form snail shape.
Yield: 2 round Potica loaves
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 egg, large, room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2¾ cups bread flour
- 2¼ tsp (one package) RED STAR Active Dry Yeast
Filling
- 2 cups walnuts, ground
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp half and half cream
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
Bread Machine Method
- Place room temperature ingredients into pan in the order listed. Have water at 80°F. Select DOUGH setting. Check dough consistency after 5 minutes of kneading. The dough should be in a soft, tacky ball. If it is dry and stiff, add water, ½ to 1 TBSP at a time. If it is too wet and sticky, add 1 TBSP of flour at a time. See our Bread Machine section for more helpful tips and information. When cycle is complete, remove dough from pan. Continue with Shaping, Rising and Baking directions below.
Traditional Method
- Combine yeast, 1½ cups flour, sugar and salt. Heat water, sour cream and butter to 120°-130°F. Add to flour mixture; blend on low speed. Add egg; beat 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl; turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe.
Shaping, Rising and Baking
- FILLING: In a small bowl combine filling ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down to remove air bubbles. Divide into 2 parts. On lightly floured surface, roll each half to 15 x 12- inch rectangle. Spread with half of FILLING. Starting with longer side, roll dough tightly. Pinch edges to seal. Place roll seam-side down on greased cookie sheet. Loosely coil foil to form a snail shape. Cover; let rise until indentation remains after lightly touching side of loaf. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown; cool on rack. If desired, sift powdered sugar over top before serving.
- You can substitute Instant (fast-rising) yeast for Active Dry Yeast. Traditional methods- replace 1:1. Expect your dough to rise faster; always let your dough rise until ‘ripe’. Bread Machines- use ½ tsp Instant yeast (or ¾ tsp Active Dry yeast) per cup of flour in your recipe. Visit our Lessons in Yeast & Baking for more information on baking.
- This recipe is featured at Fake Ginger.
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My grandmother made this for all the high holidays
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I was young when my grandmother made this. She always put me to work on other things, so I never learned. This is also the only recipe that says to curl like a snail. Mama always coiled her bread and baked it in a roasting pan.
I’ve only had this bread once from a bakery in K.C. and it was wonderfu. Can’t wait to try it.