Referring to the slideshow above, lay one leaf on a flat surface and spoon 1-2 tablespoons of filling into the leaf. Fold in the sides and tightly roll the filling away from you. Repeat this step until you have used up all of the leaves/filling. Transfer to baking dish. The Pogača. A symbolic bread used for special occasions or just because. Dough stretched and shaped into art, it’s one of my favorite baked goods in Balkan culture. In Serbian culture specifically, the pogača is used in cultural rituals for weddings, baptisms, and to welcome new additions. Wrapped in decorative ways, it’s proudly presented as a gift at these special occasions and because of its decadence, it’s more than just bread. Anyway, here’s what you need to know. It’s no bake but you’ll need to do is heat up some of the ingredients. You can use any kind of nut but hazelnut is tastiest. In this instance I used a combo of 3 different kinds. You’ll also need some Nutella and just enough patience to let them cool. That’s it. I’ve posted a recipe for Dulečnjak already (as we call it in my area) but I thought I’d post this slightly different version too because it’s just as if not more delicious. This recipe uses freshly grated pumpkin so it does require slightly more elbow grease to prepare. All worth it of course and I offer a step by step in the recipe write up.

Sarma/Stuffed Cabbage Leaves - The Balkan Hostess Sarma/Stuffed Cabbage Leaves - The Balkan Hostess

Note: The leaves covering the sarma may look burned, but don’t worry, they are protecting the sarma underneath. You will throw those away. No fancy ingredients here, you can even use roasted peppers from a jar. But you need to make this soon. Makes for amazing leftovers or next day lunch. It probably tastes better the next day. Although I wouldn’t know, we never have leftovers. Lešnik Gnezda/ Hazelnut Nests are a Balkan dessert staple. I jazz mine up with a few extra ingredients for ultimate deliciousness! Slice smoked meat of your choice into small pieces, set aside. Prepare a baking dish by taking 1-2 pieces of the torn/small leaves and covering the bottom of your dish. This will prevent the sarma from burning. There’s something about a homemade cookie. The slight imperfections, the uniqueness of each piece, it really does taste better. It tastes even better if someone else makes it for you 😏. No really, there’s science behind this phenomenon…In this recipe I used deli meat I had on hand, but feel free to use just cheese if you’d like, or even leave it plain. It’s very versatile and forgiving, which makes it a great item to take to a gathering, surprise a loved one, or simply to enjoy on a Sunday.

and MSG-Free Vegeta Seasoning Recipe Homemade Sodium-Free and MSG-Free Vegeta Seasoning Recipe

Prepare your cabbage leaves. If using leaves from a jar, remove them carefully, and transfer to a large bowl filled with cold water. Unroll the leaves and separate them, setting aside 5-6 leaves. If some are torn or really small that is fine, set those not so nice looking ones aside. Do not discard them, you will use them later. Drain all the water and refill with fresh water. Set aside until ready to use. It’s that time. Where the pumpkin flavored goodies come out and everything smells like sweet delicious spices. Fall is definitely one of my favorite seasons - I’m a fall baby after all. And I’m all about all things cozy. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake the sarma covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake another 25-30 minutes or until they turn a nice golden color and the smoked meat is nice and roasted.Today I present a more toned down version. This one can be made any time, doesn’t require special skills to manipulate the dough, and is stuffed with a variety of meats and cheeses to make it more filling. Soft as a cloud, flavorful, and just beautifully golden brown. After 2 minutes, add your ground meat to the skillet and take a couple of minutes to break it up as it cooks. Break it up as much as possible.