Northern and eastern Croatian fare tends to be heartier, showing the influences of Hungary, Austria and Turkey. Meals consist mainly of meat and potatoes, and are accompanied by light wine. Dinners often begin with soup or pickled cabbage rolls. A second course may be gulas (or goulash), a vegetable and meat stew that is a staple in Hungary. The main meat dish, which may be pork, lamb or duck, is often roasted on a spit in the traditional manner. Another favourite dish is veal steaks stuffed with ham and cheese and grilled with breadcrumbs. Regional specialties include visovacka begavica, lamb cooked in sheep's milk; mlinci, a flat, sour dumpling served with turkey; and wild truffles with pasta. Because of the prevalence of forests and the common practice of hunting, Croatians also enjoy cooking fresh game.

Snack foods readily available everywhere include Turkish-style dishes such as kebab and burek, a pastry stuffed with cheese or meat. Croatians usually drink wine with their main meal, but the country also produces many popular varieties of brandy and beer; strong coffee and herbal teas are common non-alcoholic drinks. For dessert, Croatian pastries are light, and include sweet bread with walnuts or poppy seeds, known as orehnjaca and makovnjaca. Palacinke are crepes with jam and chocolate.

Strukli

Ingredients 300 g flour salt to taste tepid water 4 tbsp vegetable oil 2 eggs, whites and yolks separated 250 g cottage cheese 180 ml sour cream 30 g butter 40g bread crumbs Preparation Combine flour, salt, and a little tepid water to make a dough. Let the dough sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the yolks, cottage cheese and sour cream. Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape, about three or four millimetres thick. Spread the cheese mixture over the dough evenly, then roll the dough into a roll five to seven centimetres wide. Press the ends to seal. Divide the roll into smaller pieces, each 8-10 centimetres long, sealing the ends of each piece. Cook the strukli in a pot of boiling, salted water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs, stirring for a few minutes or until browned. Garnish the strukli with the bread crumbs and serve hot.