Croatian recipes: Bučnica

Bučnica is popular in northern Croatia (Photo credit: Zagreb Tourist Board/CroChef)

Bučnica is a typical Croatian strudel made with summer squash, fresh cheese, cream and eggs wrapped in a thin dough. It is popular in the capital Zagreb and nearby areas.

Check out the recipe below by CroChef. 

Ingredients 

Dough

500 g white plain (smooth) flour
200 ml lukewarm water
30 g lard
1 egg
Pinch of salt 
Vegetable oil 

Filing

400 g fresh cheese
100 g sour cream
1 summer squash
2 eggs
1/2 tbs sugar
80 g butter
Pinch salt 

Instructions

1. Peel the squash, cut in half lengthways, remove the centre and then grate the squash in a bowl with a grater. Add a couple of pinches of salt.

2. Sift the flour in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt, 1 whole egg, the lukewarm water and lard and mix together with fingers. 

3. Place on a board and knead the dough into a ball shape. Coat with vegetable oil. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

4. Squeeze all excess water from the grated squash and place in a bowl. Add the fresh cheese, pinch of salt, sugar, sour cream, and 2 whole eggs. Mix all together. 

5. Sprinkle flour over a tablecloth spread out on a hard surface and roll out the dough. Stretch it out with your hand until it is very thin. Cut the edges straight then rub oil over the dough with your hands. 

6. Put the filing along the top and bottom row of the dough and roll from the bottom and top to meet in the centre. Cut into long pieces to fit your dish.

7. Crease a dish with butter. Place the bučnica in the dish, add some more butter to the top then place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes at 195 °C.

Serve warm or cold. 

Check out the video instructions below courtesy of CroChef and Zagreb Tourist Board.