Features of Croatian cuisine. Food prices in Croatia
In Croatian national cuisine, there are 2 main groups, depending on the climatic regions of the country: the cuisine of the Central region (Zagreb, Slavonia), and the cuisine of the Adriatic coast (Istria, Dalmatia, Dubrovnik). In the Central region, where meat dishes predominate, strong "accents" are felt in Arab, Turkish, Austrian and Hungarian cuisines. The influence of Italian cuisine is felt on the Adriatic coast, and a wide variety of seafood and fish dishes are very popular here.
Nevertheless, in all regions of Croatia there are culinary creations that are considered to be traditionally national, and you must definitely try them.
National snacks
For a snack in Croatia, they will offer pickled anchovies, salted sardines, cold cuts, and local cheeses.
PrshutThe most common snack in Croatia, an obligatory component of any holiday table, is prosciutto. So called home dried ham from Istria and Dalmatia. Prosciutto is put on the table with chopped long and very thin slices, adding onions, olives and cheese to it.
Page cheeseHard Page cheese, whose homeland is the island of Pag, is made from sheep's milk. An unusual rich taste and smell is given to him with the help of a variety of spices. To enhance the taste during ripening, the cheese is regularly flavored with olive oil. Cut paski sir taken in coarse triangular slices.
KulenAnother national Croatian snack is kulen from Slavonia. Spicy sausage made from large pieces of pork, highly seasoned with all kinds of spices and paprika, has a specific color. Kulen is so very popular that because of it, in many cities of Croatia every year they organize the national holiday of sausages "Kulenijada".
First meal
Most soups in Croatia are cooked in beef or chicken broth, adding rice, pasta, dumplings. They also like fish soup here, they just call it "fish soup".
Pureed mashed soups - Croatian food is quite rare. By the way, it is not customary to eat tomato soup here as an ordinary cold gazpacho, in this country it is cooked with a lot of rice, richly seasoned and served hot.
ManestraManestra (manetra) - this is the name of the famous and very hearty soup, which in its consistency is more like vegetable stew. This is really not quite an ordinary food, characterized by a rare combination of tastes: beans, corn, and pasta are used for its preparation.
Croatian hot food
"From Under the Peki"Especially popular in Croatia is food from under the peck - the so-called traditional way of cooking. Pieces of different products (potatoes, meat, fish, squid, etc.) are put in a deep pan, tightly closed with a lid and put in the oven. The cooking process seems quite simple, but in reality it requires a certain talent.
As for pasta, in Croatian cuisine there are many of its national types: macaroons, Plucans, shurlits, fuzhi, pasutitsy, Mlintsy. Not only the appearance of these pasta is surprising, but also the process of their preparation. For example, mlintsy square-shaped, first bake until crisp, and then throw into boiling water and cook until cooked.
Black risottoThere is a unique black risotto in the Croatian national cuisine - a food that should appeal to fans of exotic and seafood. Risotto is prepared from rice, squid and cuttlefish - it is the ink of the latter and give this dish an unusual black color and unique taste.
Fish and seafood
Croatian cuisine offers a huge selection of seafood and fish dishes, in particular an exotic group.
RoamingThe most famous food (mainly in Dalmatia and Istria) from fish is wandering. The dish is prepared from several types of fish, pieces of which are layered in a saucepan, sprinkled with spices and pouring sauce with red wine, olive oil and tomato paste. The pan is placed on a small fire so that its contents are stewed in a dressing. During cooking, it is allowed to shake the dishes slightly, but the contents of the pan cannot be disturbed. Traditionally, brudet is served with porridge made from corn grits - a thick, beautiful golden color.
Fried fish with chardFried fish with chard is a favorite food in Dalmatia, perfectly embodying the idea of a healthy diet. The fish is fried over hot coals, then spread it on the sweet leaves of the chard, add boiled potatoes and generously season everything with olive oil, herbs and garlic sauce.
Meat national dishes
Croatian cuisine in large quantities contains food prepared from different types of meat.
PashtitsadaPashtitsada (pasticada) enjoys constant popularity among fans of satisfying and tasty meal. This hearty meat dish is prepared as follows: the beef is kept for a day in a special sauce, and then stewed in the same sauce in a saucepan over low heat. The sauce (thick and very aromatic) is a mixture of red wine, garlic, prunes, onions, rosemary, sage, cloves, nutmeg. Serve pasticada with dumplings.
In Croatian cuisine there are many recipes for a varied lamb meal. The most savory dish - whiskey begovice - is made from the meat of a young lamb and sheep sour milk. They like to cook lamb on a spit and roast lamb. Large pieces of lamb or a whole lamb are fried over hot coals; the roast is tasty and very juicy. It is served with fresh lettuce or with green onions.
ChevapiThe cult, and not just the national dish of Croatia is Chevapi or Chevapchichi. Chevapi - small sausages from minced meat, which are fried on a wire rack over hot coals. The restaurants serve a portion of 10 chevapi, complemented with baked or fried potatoes and a lot of onion cut into rings. By the way, potatoes may not always be, but onions will be required.
Croatian national sweets
If we talk about the desserts of Croatian cuisine, we should note their fundamental difference from those cakes with heavy fat cream, to which we are accustomed. Croatian cakes are prepared with low-fat types of cream, and instead of sugar, honey is most often used, so they are low-calorie. Desserts are usually based on fresh fruits or dried fruits, and nuts are decorated with confectionery.
Midzhmursk GibanitsaWhat sweet food pamper yourself while in Croatia? There are many interesting desserts, for example, Fritula brushwood, Rafiola almond cakes, fig cookies. Zuccharines are extremely tasty - small cakes soaked in famous brandy.
Rozhata cake is, in fact, a creamy caramel in large form, which is served in pieces. An interesting Stonsky cake is a sweet casserole made of small pasta tubes with nuts and chocolate. And on Easter holidays in Croatia they bake tweezers - a pie characterized by a very delicate taste. You can not ignore the Midzhmur gibanitsa - a layer cake with nuts, apples, poppy seeds and cottage cheese, generously sprinkled with powdered sugar.
What is drunk in Croatia?
ProšekThe main drink in Croatia is wine, the Croats even claim that "a day without wine is like a day without sun." Wine in this country is traditionally diluted with water (plain or soda). Among the most popular varieties are Gemišt - dry white wine with mineral water, and Spicer with soda. Sweets Prošek and Malvazija are also popular here.
Croats drink and strong national drink brandy. The greatest love is rakia from plums - slivovitsa and rakia, infused on herbs - travarica.
Food prices in Croatia
In all cities of Croatia, food prices in public places are on the same level. So, for lunch in an inexpensive institution for one person you need to pay an average of 45 Croatian kuna, and about 200 will cost dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant.
So, about food prices in restaurants in Croatia. The price of the main dish with seafood or a large piece of meat (veal, pork) is about 70 kunas. Soup (tomato, beef) is offered at a price of up to 10 kuna per serving, the price of mushroom cream soup is almost 2 times higher. Good dinner wine can be bought at a price of 50 kuna per bottle.
What are the food prices in Croatia in 2018 in a cafe?
- A portion of potatoes with fish - 18 kun, 30 - a large dish with meat.
- Sandwiches and hamburgers are offered at a price of 10 to 25 kunas apiece, depending on size, and sausage in the text - for 5-7 kunas.
- For desserts, the prices are: cakes 12-17 kunas, baked apples - 10, espresso and cappuccino 8 and 10 kunas, respectively.
Street food is quite popular in Croatia.
- The price for an ice cream ball is 8 HRK,
- For 10 you can buy a small portion of popcorn. Baked chestnuts
- Baked corn and chestnuts here at one price - 10 HRK.
By the way, to do without financial surprises, when ordering fish dishes you need to take into account such a moment: almost always the price of 100 g is indicated in the menu of restaurants and cafes, and they cook the whole fish. Serving size must be agreed with the waiter in advance.
More information on food prices in Croatia - in this video.