Uštipci facts for kids
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| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Southeast Europe |
| Serving temperature | Fried |
| Main ingredients | Yeast, flour |
Uštipci are delicious fried dough balls, a bit like mini doughnuts! They are very popular in countries across Southeast Europe, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Albania.
Where Do Uštipci Come From?
We don't know exactly when or where uštipci were first made. The name uštipci comes from a word that means "to nip" or "to pinch." This might be because of how the dough is pinched into small pieces before frying.
In some places, uštipci have different names. For example, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, they are sometimes called peksimeti. In Croatia, a similar treat called fritule is made, and people often use both names for these tasty fried doughs. Slovenia has a similar dish too, called miške.
What Are Uštipci Like?
Uštipci are soft and bread-like, a bit different from other fried doughs. The cool thing about uštipci is that they don't always have to be sweet!
You can enjoy them in many ways:
- Sweet: Often served with jam, Nutella, or sprinkled with powdered sugar.
- Savory: Sometimes they come with cheese or a creamy spread called kajmak. This makes them great for breakfast or even a main meal!
Sometimes, other ingredients are mixed into the dough, like apples or pumpkin. You can even find uštipci with meat or cheese inside! They are perfect to eat with tea or coffee, or as a yummy dessert.
How to Make Uštipci
Making uštipci is fun! Here's a simple way they are prepared:
- First, you mix flour and yeast in a big bowl.
- Then, you add salt, sugar, an egg, and water. You mix it all until it becomes a soft dough.
- Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes. It will get bigger, almost doubling in size!
- Once the dough is ready, pinch off medium-sized pieces. You can make them any shape you like.
- Carefully place the dough pieces into a pan with hot oil. The oil should fill the pan about halfway.
- Fry them until they turn a lovely golden-brown color.
- Finally, take them out and place them on a paper towel. This helps soak up any extra oil.
And there you have it – delicious uštipci ready to enjoy!
