15 April 2020 - Sirnica or Pinca, is an indispensable part of any Easter table. Here’s a look at this traditional Croatian Easter delicacy and how you can try your hand at making your own!

Just a couple of days ago, I was having coffee with some colleagues and discussing Easter plans. A few were lamenting how far behind they were in their Easter baking, while others were exchanging recipes for all the delicious goodies, they were planning on making in the run up to Easter Sunday.

Since we were speaking of Easter treats, I simply had to ask “but, why is it when I translate Sirnica, Google tells me it’s cheesecake? But there’s no cheese in the recipe?”, “because it looks like cheese! With the shape and color”.

“Right! I think I’m going to try making it this weekend”, I said in full confidence of my amateur baking skills. A collective “noooooooooooooooooo!” ensued. “I don’t make it for Easter. No one does, only old ladies who have the time. Ma dai! So much work, almost 24 hours to finish it, waiting for it to rise and then kneading it, and rising again. No, no, I just buy it instead”.

What is Sirnica you might ask?

Before you know it, you've consumed the entire Sirnica. Image: Pinterest/Screenshot

Sirnica, as it’s known along the coastal regions of Croatia and Pinca, everywhere else, is a brioche-type sweet bread that graces every Easter holiday table. About a month before Easter, these orangey/yellow boules, topped with pearl or coarse sugar crystals, start lining the shelves of bakeries, cafes, and grocery stores.

At Easter, Sirnica is typically served along with a host of other delicious assorted kolači (sweet pastries). This is often accompanied by rich dishes like cottage cheese, eggs, ham and roasted lamb and fresh Spring vegetables like young onions and radishes, from the first harvests after Winter.

Rumor has it that Sirnica was created during the Venetian times, with some saying it may have even gotten its name from the dough resembling cheese during the mixing and kneading process, but the true origins of the confectionery remain unknown.

Historically, Sirnica would be made on Maundy Thursday, the day before Easter Friday commemorating the Last Supper of Christ. Families would then wrap them in cloth, letting the Sirnica rest before taking a loaf to Sunday Mass for it to be blessed and shared with the family after.

Today, each family has their own recipe, family secrets passed down through the generations. If you’d like to make your own, here’s a recipe you can follow from the book “Sweet Korčula” by Mrs. Franice Tasovac and bring a small part of Croatia's Easter traditions into your own home.

Sretan Uskrs everyone!

Their signature hue comes from the large quantity of eggs this recipe calls for. Image: Pinterest/Screenshot.

Ingredients - makes 6 Sirnica

6 egg yolks

3 egg whites

250 g white sugar

8 g vanilla sugar

300 ml of milk

120 g of fresh yeast

1½ teaspoon salt

250 g butter

1.2 kg of flour

1 lemon peel

2 orange peels

1 tablespoon rose rakija or brandy

Topping

1 egg white

1 tablespoon rose rakija or brandy

50 g Pearl sugar or white sugar

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Crumble the fresh yeast with milk, stir in 200g of flour and allow the mixture to double.
3. Mix the eggs with both sugars and salt, whisk until the mixture becomes frothy.
4. Add brandy, lemon zest and orange zest to the egg mixture.
5. When the dough has doubled, add in the melted butter and egg mixture. Start kneading the dough with your hands, gradually adding the remaining 1kg of flour. Old housewives say that you should be very angry before you start making dough and then vent your anger by kneading the dough with your hands.
6. Add the flour until you have a plush, brioche-like dough that is not too stiff. You might not use the full 1kg of flour. Cover the bowl with the dough and let it double.
7. Once doubled, knead the risen dough and divide it into six pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and leave them to rise on a sheet lined with greaseproof paper for one to two hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celsius. Before baking, use scissors to cut a cross or a Y-shape into each dough ball and bake for 40 minutes.
9. Using a fork, mix a little egg white with rakija, and brush the Sirnica towards the end of baking.
10. Sprinkle with beaten sugar and return to the oven for a couple of minutes to allow the coating to dry.

February 18,  2021 - Google knows what people are searching for, and there are clues in the 'People Also Ask' prompt. So let's start answering - what is a typical Croatian breakfast?

Having grown up in the US, I love breakfast. Not only is it the most important meal of the day, but it tastes good at any time of the day - and I've certainly had my fair share during lunch, dinner, and dessert. From pancakes, crispy bacon, home fries, and scrambled eggs at divey diners to eggs benedict brunch extravaganzas, breakfast is one meal America does right. 

So, what do Croatians eat for breakfast?

Experiencing the breakfasts of my homeland, however, turned out to be a harsh reality I discovered on my first trip to Croatia in 1996. 

Not yet six years old, I remember sitting in the kitchen of my grandparent's home in Kosa, a small village 15 minutes from Metković. My mother, the oldest of seven siblings, was back in the kitchen where she was raised before moving to Split at 16.

"Mama, I'm hungry," I said, familiar with mornings that included a variety of sugary cereals, chocolate milk, fresh-squeezed orange juice, or french toast. 

A chewy loaf of white bread was presented before me, along with butter, pašteta, and rosehip jam. At least I had options. 

Visiting Croatia as I grew older, and especially in my later teen years when indulging in Hvar town nightlife was a rite of passage among my paternal cousins; that soft loaf of bread, while nostalgic, wasn't going to cut it. We'd often find ourselves looking for anywhere that had a sign outside with the word 'omelet' (even though only cheese or ham was ever an option) and would beg for a morning order of fries on the side if only to desperately mimic the hangover breakfasts back home. 

And if there was no omelet to be found? We'd hunt for the greasiest burek in town. 

But that was well over a decade ago. While some Croatian breakfast staples have been maintained, many citizens (and restaurants) have evolved their morning routine to cater to breakfasts reminiscent of our western friends. 

What is a traditional Croatian breakfast?

“Turkish coffee and a cigarette.” 

While it may be one of the most popular breakfasts among some Croatians, there are quite a few other traditional morning meals.

Like I mentioned above, Dalmatians are partial to cold cuts, cheese, pašteta, and bread. Some on the coast prefer to keep it light and will opt for anchovies instead. 

It’s not unusual to find slimy pancetta or lard spread on bread in continental Croatia, pork-fat inspired dishes in northern Croatia, while the Istria region is famous for its asparagus and truffle frittata. 

Your breakfast cold cuts may even be served with pickled onions or gherkins, a box of Napolitanke, Jadro, or holiday cookies defrosting from the freezer, but only one thing is certain - there is no breakfast in Croatia without coffee. Consider eating is a bonus. 

What are Croatian breakfast pastries?

While we more or less covered some traditional breakfast items in Croatia, others may have never been intended for breakfast but are now enjoyed in the morning by both locals and tourists in Croatia.  

Burek (with cheese) is by far the most famous. This Croatian classic is usually made with phyllo dough and cheese, while other fillings such as meat, potato, and spinach can also be found. A staple at most bakeries across the country, this cheap to-go treat can also be enjoyed with yogurt to ensure a hearty breakfast meal. 

Unlike burek, bučnica is a strudel-like pastry containing pumpkin, cheese, butter, and eggs. Served with sour cream, bučnica is Croatian comfort food that even ticks off a few of the food groups! 

Croissants, strudels, and various other Croatian cookies and pastries have made their way into our mornings and are often found for a few kunas at bakeries like Bobis, Dubravica, and the like. 

What do Croatians eat on holidays? Croatian Easter breakfast 

The holiday breakfast in Croatia that stands out the most is certainly Easter. Easter is a holiday with many breakfast traditions around the country, like cooked ham, boiled eggs, spring onions, radishes, and the sweet star of the show - sirnica (or pinca), a fluffy Croatian Easter bread topped with crushed sugar. 

Easter in Sinj -  Foto Žižić

Traditionally from Dalmatia, sirnica is a trademark of Croatian Easter tables today, so much so that bakeries around the country begin selling the bread months before the holiday - and some year-round! 

What is a typical Croatian breakfast today?

It's 2021, so it's no surprise that Croatia's breakfast eaters have adapted to today's trends. Many children will have yogurt and a banana before school; others may enjoy a bowl of Chocolino cereal, while eggs have become much more commonplace on today's breakfast tables. Especially since so many have the luxury of fresh eggs from their farm or local farmer's market. 

Restaurants around the country have matured as well, with many offering English breakfasts, eggs benedict, or poached eggs on avocado toast. 

Some restaurants have even introduced breakfast burritos, others opened restaurants dedicated solely to eggs (Eggspress in Zagreb, for example), and bagels have even made their way here in the last couple of years!

And let's not forget about cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and acai bowls that can be found in Croatia's bigger cities, catering especially to Californian and Aussie travelers here on holiday. 

Brasserie on 7 in Split

And to conclude  -  the best Croatian breakfast memes.

In the  world vs in Croatia

Whether you opt for sweet, savory, to something in between, breakfast in Croatia has it all. 

Are there any Croatian breakfast tips and essentials we should add? Send us your info at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To follow the People Also Ask Google about Croatia series, click here. 

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