Bijeli žganci

The story

Žganci are the porridge dumplings of northern Croatia and Slovenia, and the name comes from the old verb žgati, to burn or to heat over a fire. Most žganci are made from cornmeal, and Slovenians often use buckwheat, but some Croatian families make bijeli žganci, white žganci, from plain wheat flour. The method is quick. Salted water with a little oil comes to a boil, the flour goes in all at once, and the cook beats it with a wooden spoon over low heat until a smooth, slightly chewy mass pulls away from the pot. A second version starts with mashed boiled potatoes and works flour into them over the heat. Both count as poor people's food. One Croatian food writer recalls grandmothers beating up white žganci for breakfast so the household could eat its fill before a day of heavy work in the fields. The usual toppings are hot lard and cracklings, or fried bacon and onion, and leftover žganci are browned in lard with bacon, onion or cream. With plain milk or runny yogurt they were a standard children's supper. Serve them beside goulash or another saucy stew, or as a light supper with bacon, sour cream and a green salad.