Fragance of Dalmatia II

Soparnik

Traditional dish from Poljica

for dough:
• 500 g flour

• 3 spoons of olive oil
• 1 / 2 spoon of salt
• 250 ml water

for filling:
• 1 bundle of parsley
• 1 kg Swiss chard
• 1 bunch stone leek
• 4 garlic cloves
• olive oil
• salt


Description:
Soparnik, specialties of the Dalmatian Poljica, dating from the old Ottoman times. Simple to make: little Swiss chard, parsley and stone leek, between two layers of most simple dough. In an original recipe, for the preparation or soparnik you would need two rounded wooden plates "sinije", dough is shaped with a rolling pin, baked in a fireplace. But an oven will do for a home made soparnik!

Wash the chard leaves well and cut of the hard parts. Cut it into straps, mix with stone leek and parsley in a deep dish, add salt and olive oil. Mix it again and leave it rest for a while. Take another bowl, put flour in it, add a little salt, two spoons of olive oil, a little water and kneaded it with a hand mixer. Dough is cut in two halves and shaped in a circle. Lay one half of the dough on a baking sheet sprinkled with flour. Add the filling and cover it with other half. Join the edges and fold them inward. Put in in a warm oven at 200 ° C for about 20 minutes. When you take it out spread some olive oil and and squeeze garlic over it. My tip is that for perfection you can put small crunches of walnuts and than even some sugar, that is what we used to do when we were kids.

Translated and adapted form http://www.sucurac.info:

Video in Croatian

Traditional recipe in Croatian

If you have a headache from my translation, which is propable, you can, for much more detailed discription, turn to: http://www.myconsciouseating.com

Make the dough: Put the flour into a large bowl and mix in the salt. Start adding water while continuously mixing the dough with a wooden spatula; add the oil. Once ingredients start sticking together start kneading with your hands. Knead this dough really well until you come up with into a smooth texture that does not stick.
Make the filo sheets: Divide the filo dough into two equal parts. Sprinkle some flour on the clean table surface and start rolling the first part: your target is a 2 mm thick sheet of somewhat round shape. There is a procedure to help the rolling: from time to time you can lift the dough with the tops of your two fists facing each other and gently rotate the dough by turning the thumb of the right fist apart and pulling the dough with the left fist - kind of a knitting motion. Alter this procedure with the rolling until you come up with the target thickness. Spread the cotton towels on the table and transfer the rolled dough on them. Stretch lightly to thin the edges that they tend to remain thicker. Repeat with the second part of the dough. Leave to dry for at least one hour.
Prepare the filling: Preheat the oven to 200 C. Wash the Swiss chard and chop. Cook in salty water for 2 minutes to remove the excess acidity, drain and leave to cool. When cooled completely drain as much of water as possible by squeezing the leaves with your hands and place. In a large bowl mix the cooked drained Swiss chard, chopped onion and garlic. Add little bot more salt and pepper than you would usually do - the filling needs to be rather spicy.

Make the pie: Oil a large baking tray with low sides. Cut about 1.5 sm of the thicker edges of the both sheets of the rolled dough and place one sheet of the rolled filo dough on the tray. Transfer the filling and evenly spread on the dough sheet leaving some 3-5 sm of the edges free. Now roll inside the remaining edges as if closing the pie. Cover the pie with the upper sheet and bend in its edges under the pie carefully. Now press the edges tightly to make sure the pie is well sealed - you end up with a round parcel.

Bake the pie: Bake for 30 minutes. Once done take soparnik out of the oven and spread some olive oil on it with a paper tissue. Serve warm or room temperature.

Source for picture (and another version of the recipe) http://www.coolinarika.com/recept/soparnik/

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And something to listen to while enjoying your food...

Pripovid o Dalmaciji (Short stories of Dalmatia)

CD 1
Puce moj Vokalisti Salone, Solin
'Vo je nasa zemlja Sinj, Sinj
Kampaneli I Nostalgija, Zagreb
More Fortunal, Rijeka
Galiotova pesan Kamen SSM, Kamen
Kod Lepanta, sunce moje Zadranke, Zadar
Dalmatino, poviscu pritrujena Oktet DC, Vranjic
Gledaj na reloj koja je ura Pucki pivaci Stobreca
Ako ti draga ja na more podjen Maestral, Dubrovnik
Susna zikva na skoju Sinj, Sinj
Zvizde mi kazu Lindjo-N, Dubrovnik
Moja jube Trogir, Trogir
Vrati se, mili cale Oktet DC, Vranjic
Prid didovon slikon Split, Split
Maslina Intrade, Zadar
Loza u skripu Cambi, K. Kambelovac
Ostav' se vise mora Trogir, Trogir
Sudamja Lucica, Split
Na omiskoj stini Luka, Ploce
Kolendra Vokalisti Salone, Solin
Materin plac Puntari, Omis
Plavi putevi mora Fortunal, Rijeka

CD 2
Pismo moja, hrli tamo Lucica, Split
Omili mi u selu divojka Sibenik, Sibenik
Golubice bila Osjak, Vela Luka
Da bis bjonda znala Trogir, Trogir
Dobra vecer uzorita Sibenik, Sibenik
Na me pogled tvoj obrati Maestral, Dubrovnik
Je da bis mi rastvorila Trogir, Trogir
Lipa li si Mare moja Kantaduri, Split
Ti si nestala tiho Srdela, Makarska
Prosti meni vilo Oktet DC, Vranjic
Jubavi, ufanje veliko Cambi, K. Kambelovac
Da je meni voja tvoja Lika, Rijeka
Kaleto moja draga Lucica, Split
Svet' Ivane o'moga Trogira Trogir, Trogir
Sijavica Sibenik, Sibenik
Zbogon Split grade Pucki pivaci Kamena
Moj tovar Kamen SSM, Kamen
Odes li mila Filip Devic, Split
Zlata jemas, dare primas Oktet DC, Vranjic
Sutra ce te ponit Lindjo-N, Dubrovnik
Kad sam bio na tvom grobu Maestral, Dubrovnik
Poljicani postovani Pucki pivaci iz Poljica
Testamentum Vokalisti Salone, Solin
Ca vridi Filip Devic, Split
Bilo cvice o'mendula Osjak, Vela Luka
Jute san se zajubija Oktet DC, Vranjic˝

Theblueone, Thegreenone

to keep you warm under the sun

take care

have fun

stop

say hallo when you pass by

cheers thegoodone

ABOUT THE STYLE OF PERFORMANCE OF CLAPA SONG
Clapas sing their tunes provoked by the moment which consists of a diverse set of circumstances including the character traits of an individual as a part of a group in a certain sociocultural milieu. They sing in the way inspired only by the spiritual mood in which the performance takes place. In such circumstances clapa songs seem to be self-sufficient. Owing partly to the fact
a clapa songs is, sui generis, a chamber music piece, which is performed in the intimate atmosphere of the Mediterranean-Dinaric characteristics. It is only the intense interaction of singing and environment that creates the mood, atmosphere and fullness of this musico-social phenomenon.
The main goal of singers is to achieve as good fusion of chords as possible, which is of crucial importance in order to attract the audience, first of all the admirers of their way of singing, but essential for reaching their own goal as well. The aspiration to enjoy homophony and the harmonious singing of chords has a long traditon in the Dalmatian urban circles despite the familiarity with polyphony as a consequence of the openness to the Renaissance.
One of the most recognizable characteristics of clapa songs is the fact that they are performed a cappella. (from linear notes)