Purica s mlincima
Roast turkey with flatbread
Purica s mlincima: Zagorje roast turkey with mlinci flatbreads softened in the pan juices
Up in Zagorje, the green hill country north of Zagreb in Croatia, this is the Sunday and Christmas roast: turkey roasted slowly and basted until the skin is crackling-brown, then served with mlinci, thin dried flatbreads broken into pieces, scalded and tossed in the roasting juices until they turn soft, chewy and glossy like rustic pasta. Serve it with a sharp cabbage or green salad. Where most people go wrong is soaking the mlinci too long, so they turn to porridge; one minute in hot water is enough. Chef's tip: bake the mlinci yourself the day before, but if you are short of time, good dried shop mlinci work beautifully.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the turkey
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 2 ⅛ oz unsalted buttersoftened
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 ¼ cups hot water or chicken stock
For the mlinci
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 egg
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 ¼ cups boiling salted water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: The day before or in the morning, rub the 5 ½ lb bone-in turkey crown or turkey legs all over with the 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper and refrigerate it, uncovered, until 30 minutes before roasting.
5 minStep 2: Make the mlinci: mix the 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 egg, ½ cup lukewarm water and ½ tsp salt and knead for 5 minutes into a smooth dough. Rest for 15 minutes.
20 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Divide the dough into 4, roll each piece paper-thin and bake on dry trays for 6–8 minutes, until crisp with golden blisters. Cool and break into palm-sized pieces.
15 minStep 4: Lower the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Mix the 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter with the 4 garlic cloves, spread it over the turkey skin and set it in a roasting tin with the 2 rosemary sprigs and the hot 1 ¼ cups hot water or chicken stock.
5 minStep 5: Roast for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and thigh, not touching bone, reads 165°F.
115 minStep 6: Lift the turkey onto a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 20 minutes. Keep the tin with its juices.
20 minStep 7: Pour the 8 ¼ cups boiling salted water over the mlinci in a bowl, leave for 1 minute until pliable, then drain well.
2 minStep 8: Set the roasting tin over a medium heat, add the mlinci and toss for 3 minutes, until they soak up the juices and turn glossy. Carve the turkey and serve with the mlinci.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 62 g
- Carbs
- 39 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does purica s mlincima take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 140 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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