Baked Noodles - Mlinci
Submitted by roro1175
Traditional Croatian mlinci: yeasted flatbread baked until crisp, then soaked in salted water and drenched in melted butter or roast drippings. The classic side for roast poultry.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minMlinci are one of those brilliant Croatian staples that look humble but deliver something truly special.
You make a simple yeasted dough, roll it thin, bake it until golden and crisp, then break it into shards and soak them in salted water until they turn soft and almost silky.
Finished with a generous pour of melted butter or, even better, the drippings from a roast chicken or pork, they soak up every drop of flavor like a sponge.
In Croatia, no holiday roast is complete without a platter of mlinci alongside it.
Chef Tips
- Pierce the dough rounds thoroughly with a fork before baking to prevent large bubbles from forming.
- Bake on the lowest rack and watch them carefully. They go from golden to burnt fast.
- The soaking step is key: too long and they turn mushy, too short and they stay tough. Two minutes for the first soak, then about an hour for the second.
- Roast poultry drippings are the traditional and most flavorful option for finishing. Butter is the backup, not the first choice.
Ingredients
Directions
Crumble yeast into lukewarm water and add beaten egg, salt, salad oil and flour. Knead well to make a medium dough. Roll out into rounds as for noodles, only not quite so thin. Pierce each round with a fork and bake in oven at 325℉ (160℃) until a delicate brown on both sides.
“Mlinci” are baked on the lowest rack in the oven and must be turned. When baked, cool and break the “mlinci” into a large bowl. Pour over enough salted boiling water to cover and let stand for two minutes. Pour off water into another bowl and drain “mlinci” dry. Once again pour on same water and allow to absorb about one hour. Pour hot melted butter over “mlinci” and serve. You may substitute poultry or pork roast drippings for butter.
Comments
