Žganci

About This Recipe

Žganci is one of Slovenia's oldest foods, a buckwheat porridge or spoonbread that sustained generations of Slovenian peasants through hard winters. The dish is made by stirring buckwheat flour into salted boiling water until a thick, crumbly mass forms. It has a distinctly earthy, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with cold milk poured over the top, sour cream, or crispy pork cracklings (ocvirki). Once considered poor man's food, žganci has been reclaimed as a point of national culinary pride.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gbuckwheat flour
• 700 mlwater
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tbsplard or butter
• 100 gpork cracklings (ocvirki), to serve
• 200 mlcold whole milk, to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil water

   Bring salted water and lard to a rolling boil in a heavy pot.

2. 2

   Add flour

   Pour buckwheat flour in all at once. Do not stir immediately — let it sit for 2 minutes to steam.

3. 3

   Cook and crumble

   Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, breaking the mass into coarse, crumbly chunks. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.

4. 4

   Serve

   Spoon into bowls and serve with cold milk poured over the top, or top with pork cracklings and sour cream.

Variations

• •

  Corn žganci (koruzni žganci) made with polenta for a milder flavor.

• •

  Served with sautéed mushrooms and onions as a savory supper.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be pan-fried in butter to make crispy žganci fritters.

Frequently Asked Questions