Robinson's Ushtiptci ('Uštipci')...back on the road through Bosnia

Modrac Lake  near Tuzla/ Jezero Modrac kod Tuzle

On our way back home to Brcko (from Montenegro) , we stopped on Modrac lake to meet my hubby's cousin and his family. They took us to a restaurant called Robinson. It looked very rustic, like real place of Robinson Cruso - all built with wood and palm leaves; there was even a ship placed on the side of lake, to  make the whole story believable.

For dinner we had great platter of local fish and some much-loved ushtiptci. I got more than I bargained for; a huge hornet flu into my glass, so I got another (small) bottle of wine for free.

Ushtiptci / Uštipci

Upper row SR flour, Lower row Yeasted dough 

Gornje su sa praskom za pecivo, donje sa kvascem

Ushtiptci are basically fried bread dough; kind-of  savoury version of doughnuts They're usually eaten for breakfast, as snack or  as entree served with sour cream and cheese.

Any plain (white bread) dough can be used - proven dough is cut, stretched and fried in hot oil.

For a quick method, self raising flour and yogurt is mixed with sparkling water, rolled, cut and fried.

I prefer more ones with yeasted dough .

Ingredients ( for quick ones with SR flour)

2 cups SR flour 

1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk

1 tsp salt

sparkling water (cca 1/2 cup); or plain water with a tsp of vinegar

Oil for frying

Method:

Mix all ingredients; knead slightly. Dust working surface and roll out the dough to thickness of 1,5 cm. Cut into squares (or other shapes) and fry on medium high both sides, a couple at a time (oil must be deep enough - at least 3 cm). Repeat with the rest.

Sprinkle with salt (optional) and enjoy while warm.

Restaurant 'Robinson'

Na putu nazad u Brčko (iz Crne Gore), zaustavili smo se na Modračkom jezeru da se nadjemo sa dragim rodjacima. Odveli su nas u restoran 'Robinson'. Restoran je izgledao veoma rusticno, bas kao pravo Robinzonovo mjesto. Sagradjen je od drveta i palminog lisca, cak je i jedan jedrenjak bio postavljen na obali jezera, kako bi cijeli dozivljaj bio sto ubjedljiviji.

Za veceru smo imali ogromnu servu lokalne ribe, a za predjelo ustipke. Ja sam dobila vise nego sam narucila - u vino mi je uletio ogroman strsljen, tako da su mi donijeli jos jednu (malu) bocu vina.

U Bosni se ustipci prave na 2 osnovna nacina - Bilo koje tijesto za bijeli hljeb / kruh moze biti upotrijebljeno (odrezano /otkinuto i isprzeno), ili se umijesi brzo tijesto sa praskom za pecivo. Uvijek se serviraju sa kajmakom (i sirom) .

Evo recepta za ovu brzu verziju!

Potrebno:

2 solje brasna sa praskom za pecivo (samodizajuce)

1/4 solje jogurta ili tecnog kiselog mlijeka

1 k soli

oko 1/2 solje kisele vode (ili obicna voda sa 1 k sirceta)

ulje za przenje

Nacin:

Umijesite tijesto, razvaljajte ga na 1,5 cm i izrezite na zeljene oblike. Przite u srednje vrelom ulju (mora biti bar 3 cm duboko) obje strane. Pospite sa malo soli (po zelji) i servirajte toplo.

Hornet in my glass / Stršljen u mom vinu