Bosnian and Herzegovinians breads and pastry There is no better smell in Bosnian cuisine then smell of baked bread.

Almost every city and village in Bosnia has its own recipe for bread. They are competing in achieving better look, pleasant smell, and softness, between breads. According to historical texts and facts, it seems that Travnichki bread and Travnichki bakers are best. One historical source is telling about their creativity, and their imagination, supported by fact that they created 40 different types of bread and pastry. In other cities number was much smaller, and there were around 10 types of different bread. Here are recipes for some famous: 1. Bosman: (Bosman hljeb) In past, this bread was baked only in bakeries. Ingredients: 1 kg all purpose flour (sifted) 200 g yeast 20 ml oil 400 ml lukewarm water 1 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions: 1. In large bowl, combine flour and salt. 2. In small cup mix yeast with some lukewarm water and sugar. When yeast rise to half of cup, mix with flour. 3. Gradually add lukewarm water and knead with hands until combined. Knead a little more on floured surface. Cover with cloth or foil and leave in warm room (or near heat source) for an hour. 4. Preheat oven to 180C and oil baking pan. Place bread in baking pan and before baking pierce bread in middle with finger. Since there is no re kneading, bread is spongy. 5. Bake for 30 minutes and cool a bit before serving. If you want to make this bread in old fashion way, add sesame seed in paste and sprinkle some before baking.

2. Bread with sprinkling water (Kiseljaki hljeb)

This bread is made with sparkling water. Ingredients: 1 kg flour (sifted) 20 ml oil teaspoon baking powder (mixed with lukewarm water) 1 tablespoon salt 450 ml sparkling water 2 egg whites

Directions: 1. Combine flour with baking powder mixture. Add salt and gradually add sparkling water. 2. Knead with hands, for longer time around 15 minutes, so paste can get bubbles. 3. Preheat oven to 180C and oil baking pan. Place bread in baking pan and coat with beaten egg whites. 4. Bake for 30 minutes and cool before serving.

3. Bosnian loaf (Bosanska pogaa)

This loaf is eating while still warm and it is served with sour cream. Also this loaf is not cutting whit knife. You break it with hands. Ingredients: 1 kg flour cup yogurt teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon salt 350 ml lukewarm water 100 g butter cut in cubes

Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in yogurt and water. Knead dough on floured surface. When nice and smooth it is time to knead in butter. Roll out dough, cover with one butter cube and roll back. Repeat until you knead in all butter. Leave a side for half an hour. 5. Preheat oven to 180C. Oil baking pan and place loaf in. 6. Bake for 30 35 minutes on 180C. 7. Consume while still warm with sour cream.

4. Loaf from Mostar (Mostarska pogaa)

Like any other loaf, this one is also consuming while still warm. Ingredients: 1 kg flour (sifted) 3 eggs 500 ml milk 200 g butter 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon instant yeast 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Combine sifted flour with sugar, yeast and salt. Stir in eggs and milk. Knead dough on floured surface Roll out dough to 1 cm thick. Spread over butter cubes. Fold rolled dough in half, then in quarter and roll out again Repeat couple times and form in loaf. Place in oiled baking tray.

6. Preheat oven o 180C and bake for 30 minutes. 7. Consume while still warm.

5. Flat bread with black seed (Samun/somun)

This is favorite type of bread in Bosnian cuisine. Somun represents round, thin loaf, with inner spongy structure. Ingredients: (for two somun) 500 g flour 350 ml water 1 Teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon yeast (fresh) 1 tablespoon salt 2 egg whites

Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4. Preheat oven to 200C and oil baking tray. Combine fresh yeast with sugar, and some lukewarm water. Combine in large bowl, flour and sugar. When yeast rise to almost full cup, combine with flour. Leave paste for an hour to rise.

5. Form balls from past and knead on floured surface and form round, flat loaf. Place on baking sheet to rise again. 6. Before baking place on spread corn flour, to get nice bottom. Flatten a bit with hands again. Use wooden spoon handle and form grid pattern on paste. Coat with egg whites and sprinkle with sesame. 7. Bake for 15 minutes at 200C. 8. Serve while still hot.

6. Hat bread (Kaplama hljeb) This is type of white bread, with hat on top. Bread is known as specialty in Banja Luka-Bosnian city. Ingredients: 1 kg flour 250 ml water 250 ml milk 1 teaspoon yeast (fresh) 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon salt

Additionally: 500 ml water 1 tablespoon flour

Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4. Preheat oven to 180C and line oil baking tray. Combine yeast with sugar and lukewarm water. Combine flour and salt. Stir in yeast. Gradually add milk and water. Knead dough on floured surface. Take around 100 g, from dough and form smaller dough. Place on top larger one. (Creating hat). 5. Place in baking tray. Cover with clean cloth and leave to rise, for an hour. 6. Bake for 30-35 minutes on 180C. Bulumach: Is type of bread glaze, consisted from water and flour. 1. Heat water, to boil and stir in flour. 2. When combined spread of mixture over bread (before baking). 3. Spread of mixture over bread when baked.

Cool before serving.

7. Bagels (Peksimeti) Peksimeti are homemade bagels, round or rectangle shape, fried in deep oil. Ingredients: 500 g flour 1 sachet baking powder 1 egg 100 ml yogurt 100 ml water 1 tablespoon salt

Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in egg and yogurt. Gradually add water, until paste is combined and smooth. Knead dough on floured surface. Form dough, cover with foil and allow to rest, for half an hour. Roll out dough on floured surface, 5-6 mm thick. Cut in rectangle or round shapes. Heat oil in pan or frying pan. Put in, carefully, bagels and fry until puffed and gold brown. Do this fast, because they can burn. Serve when cooled a little.

8. Round bagel (evrek)

Djevrek is type of bagel similar to pretzel. It is popular not only in Bosnia, but in Serbia and Croatia also, but known under other names. Ingredients: for 10 bagels 500 g flour 1 egg 1 tablespoon salt 1 sachet baking powder 200 ml lukewarm water

Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Combine all ingredients together in large bowl. Cover paste with clean cloth or foil and leave to rise for 1 hour. Form circles or rings from paste, 15 cm diameter, 1-1, 5 cm thick. Preheat oven to 180C and line baking tray with parchment paper. Place Djevrek on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve while still hot.

9. Sarajevo bagel (Sarajevski peksimeti)

They can be served as appetizer, part of main meal, or dessert, when dipped in chocolate or jam. Ingredients: 500 g flour 200 ml yogurt 200 ml milk Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg Oil to fry

Directions: 1. Beat egg in medium size bowl. 2. Gradually add flour, with baking powder and salt. Stir in randomly yogurt and milk, until all combined. 3. Heat oil in fry pan. Take full teaspoon of paste and put in hot oil. 4. Fry until gold brown. Leave on kitchen towel, to drink excess oil.