Potica Dough
The secret to potica is the yeast dough. This recipe is double the standard, making enough potica to share as holiday gifts. We get about ten pans of rolls or up to nine 8 inch loaves.
The yeast dough recipe:4 cups milk (1 quart)
1 cup shortening (1 cube) 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt Scald milk (180 degrees, not boiling but small bubbles along edge of pan). Add shortening to melt. Stir in sugar and salt, too. Let cool. 2 yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water (100-110 degrees) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon flour In a small bowl sprinkle yeast on water. Gently stir in sugar and flour. Cover and let rise. 4 eggs (room temperature) Gently beat eggs. 4 lbs. flour (about 11 cups) Measure flour into a large bowl. Make a hole in center. Add milk, yeast, and eggs. Stir by hand or standing mixer until thick enough to work by hand. Turn out onto floured surface to knead until no longer sticky. Place in large oiled (butter or vegetable oil) bowl to rise. Let it rise to double, about 1 hour. We place ours in an unheated oven and cover with a tea towel to protect it from room temperature changes. Keep it protected, a cool breeze from an open winter door can cause the dough to fall. Don't let it rise over double. |