Pereci are traditional braided bread rolls that sit somewhere between a pretzel and a bread roll. They can be enjoyed on their own or served alongside a hearty stew.
Ingredients
- 1 kg wheat flour
- 40 g yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 5–6 dl milk
- 25 g lard or oil
- salt
- egg and milk, for brushing
Form the spiral into a ring and gently press the ends together
Instructions Link to heading
- Start by preparing the yeast mixture: crumble the yeast into a bowl, then add 2 tablespoons of lukewarm milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour.
- Once the yeast has activated, mix it into the flour.
- Knead everything together into a medium-firm dough. When the dough becomes elastic, add the lard or oil.
- Knead until the dough is smooth and develops bubbles. Flatten it slightly in a bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel.
- Leave the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into pencil-thick rolls.
- Shape each roll into a circle, then cut it in half and twist the two strands into a spiral.
- Form the spiral into a ring and gently press the ends together.
- Let the shaped dough rise for about 20 minutes. Brush with beaten egg and milk, then bake.
- Bake in a conventional oven at 200 °C until golden, then reduce the heat to 175 °C and bake until fully cooked, about 10 minutes in total.
- Cover the baked rolls with a kitchen towel so they stay soft.
Notes Link to heading
There are many versions of this recipe. Pereci were brought from neighboring Hungary to Slovenia and are especially typical of Prekmurje, where different ethnic communities have long lived side by side.
Soft, golden pereci rings cooling in a kitchen towel
Twisted pereci rings with black cumin seeds, just out of the oven