Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2020/C 110/11)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A TRADITIONAL SPECIALITY GUARANTEED

‘SLOVENSKA POTICA’

EU No: TSG-SI-02396 – 30.3.2018

Member State or third country: Slovenia

1. Name to be registered

‘Slovenska potica’

2. Type of product (as in Annex XI)

Class 2.24. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares

3. Grounds for the registration

3.1. Whether the product

☒ results from a mode of production, processing or composition corresponding to traditional practice for that product or foodstuff;

☐ is produced from raw materials or ingredients that are those traditionally used.

‘Slovenska potica’ is a roll of yeast dough with a filling that is most typically made of walnuts, tarragon or raisins. It is traditionally ring-shaped, as a result of it being baked in a traditional round mould called ‘potičnik’, which has a flat bottom, smooth or fluted sides and a tapered tube running through the centre.

3.2. Whether the name

☒ has been traditionally used to refer to the specific product;

☐ identifies the traditional character or specific character of the product.

The term ‘potica’, in reference to the specific shape of the dough roll, is used in the first cookbook in Slovenian written by the first Slovenian poet, Valentin Vodnik, in 1799. Recipes for ‘potica’ can be found in books by Andrej Zamejic (1850), Magdalena Knafelj Pleiweis (1868), Sr Felicita Kalinšek (1923), and others. After WWI the number of different ‘potica’ recipes grew rapidly and today over 105 types of ‘potica’ are known, depending on the filling, which may be sweet or savoury. ‘Potica’ is baked in all Slovenian regions and also beyond the country’s borders.

The name ‘potica’ derives from earlier Slovenian forms, such as ‘povitica’, ‘povtica’ and ‘potvica’. It reflects the various methods of preparation used from the Middle Ages (before the 15th century) up to the early 20th century, when the recipe became more uniform. The single name ‘potica’ has been in widespread use since the 18th century. The name ‘slovenska potica’ was first used in the second half of the 19th century.

4. Description

4.1. Description of the product to which the name under point 1 applies, including its main physical, chemical, microbiological or organoleptic characteristics showing the product’s specific character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

‘Slovenska potica’ is a roll of yeast dough filled with a sweet or savoury filling and shaped like a ring by virtue of its being baked in a ‘potičnik’, i.e. round clay, porcelain or metal dish with a flat bottom, smooth or fluted sides and a tapered tube in the middle. The traditional, or most common, fillings used in ‘Slovenska potica’ are walnut, walnut and raisin, raisin, tarragon, and tarragon and cottage cheese fillings.

‘Slovenska potica’ may be frozen fresh (unbaked) or baked. Either way, the crust of a baked ‘Slovenska potica’ must be even, firm and smooth. The colour of a baked ‘Slovenska potica’ is typical of baked confectionery, i.e. golden brown. ‘Slovenska potica’ is soft and springy to the touch. It may be dusted with icing sugar.

A cross-section view of ‘Slovenska potica’: the crust does not become detached from the rest of ‘potica’, the filling is evenly distributed and runs in an uninterrupted line, there is the required number of turns, depending on the diameter of the ‘potičnik’.

4.2. Description of the production method of the product to which the name under point 1 applies that the producers must follow including, where appropriate, the nature and characteristics of the raw materials or ingredients used, and the method by which the product is prepared (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

Preparation of ‘Slovenska potica’

1. Flour: white wheat flour

2. Milk: cow’s milk

3. Cottage cheese: full-fat, chunky or smooth

4. Walnut kernels: ground

5. Vanilla: natural vanilla-flavoured sugar, vanilla pod, powder or liquid. Raisin filling must include a vanilla pod in any form (ground, crushed, etc.)

6. Tarragon – fresh or dried (chopped leaves) or frozen

7. Rum (38-40 % vol.)

8. Eggs: raw hen’s eggs

9. Cow’s milk butter: raw

10. Sugar: granulated or powdered/ground

11. Raisins

12. Cream

13. Sour cream (full-fat)

14. Cinnamon

15. Salt

16. Yeast

As a rule, a filling must be prepared fresh or no more than two days in advance, and kept in a fridge.

Ingredients for, and the preparation of, yeast dough

Recipe based on dough made from 1 kg of white wheat flour Recipe based on the proportion of other ingredients to flour (%) Permitted tolerances 1 000 g of white wheat flour 30 g of yeast 3 max. 50 g 100 g of raw butter 10 max. 150 g 120 g of sugar 12 min. 80 g 10 g of salt 1 max. 12 g 3 egg yolks or 60 g of egg yolks 6 max. 6 egg yolks (120 g) 10 g of vanilla sugar 1-2 max. 30 g 10 ml of rum 1 max. 20 ml max. 500 ml of milk max. 50 as required (to obtain the desired consistency of the dough)

Preparation of the dough

A starter may, but need not, be used to prepare the dough. The dough must be mixed and kneaded until it is consolidated and smooth and does not stick. Once kneaded, the dough is left to rest for at least 15 minutes.

After resting, the dough may either:

(a) be rolled out in a rectangle to a thickness of 0,4-1,5 cm, topped with filling and rolled up tightly, or

(b) be first left to prove and only then be rolled out in a rectangle to a thickness of 0,4-1,5 cm, topped with filling and rolled up tightly.

The roll is placed in a greased ‘potičnik’, pierced through several times from above, and left to prove until it has visibly grown in size and the surface has become swollen yet fluffy to touch.

The proved roll may be pierced again just before baking.

‘Slovenska potica’ with walnut filling

Ingredients for the walnut filling Permitted tolerances 1 000 g of ground walnut kernels 375 g of sugar min. 250 g 100 g of raw butter max. 125 g 3 egg whites or 90 g of egg whites max. 4 egg whites (120 g) 20 g of vanilla sugar max. 30 g 1-2 knife tips or min. 3 mg of cinnamon max. 5 mg max. 600 ml of milk as required (to obtain the desired consistency of the filling)

Preparation of the walnut filling and ‘potica’

1. The ground walnuts are soaked in hot milk and left to cool down.

2. First the vanilla sugar, sugar, cinnamon and softened butter are added to the milk-and-walnut mixture, followed by the whisked egg whites. The egg whites may be whisked with sugar. The filling must be easy to spread to prevent the dough from tearing.

3. The dough is rolled out to the thickness of a little finger, i.e. 0,4-1,5 cm.

4. For every kilogram of dough at least one kilogram of walnut filling must be used. If baked in a mould with a diameter of up to 29 cm, a ‘potica’ must have at least three to four turns; if baked in a larger dish, it may have an additional one to two.

5. The filling is spread over the dough, and may be sprinkled with ground dry walnuts.

6. The dough is then rolled up tightly and placed in a ‘potičnik’, which may be greased and floured. The two ends of the roll must form a tight seal.

7. The ‘potica’ is left to prove in the ‘potičnik’.

8. Before baking, ‘potica’ may be glazed with a mixture of butter, milk and egg yolks or with any one of these ingredients. It should also be pierced in several places before it is placed in the oven. It is recommended that ‘potica’ be baked for at least 40 minutes at 160-180 °C. Regardless of the recommended temperature and time, either may be modified depending on oven type and the size of the ‘potica’.

9. When done, the ‘potica’ is tipped from the ‘potičnik’ upside-down and left to cool.

10. It may be dusted with icing sugar, is cut into wedges and served.

‘Slovenska potica’ with walnut and raisin filling

Ingredients for the walnut and raisin filling Permitted tolerances 1 000 g of ground walnut kernels 200 g of sugar min. 100 g 100 g of raw butter max. 125 g 3 egg whites or 90 g of egg whites max. 4 egg whites (120 g) 20 g of vanilla sugar max. 30 g 1-2 knife tips or min. 3 mg of cinnamon max. 5 mg max. 600 ml of milk as required (to obtain the desired consistency of the filling) 100 g of raisins max. 250 g of raisins max. 50 ml of rum (to soak the raisins) Rum is not a required ingredient.

Preparation of the walnut and raisin filling and ‘potica’

1. The ground walnuts are soaked in hot milk and left to cool down

2. First the vanilla sugar, sugar, cinnamon and softened butter are added to the milk-and-walnut mixture, followed by the egg whites whisked with sugar. The filling must be easy to spread to prevent the dough from tearing.

3. The dough is rolled out to the thickness of a little finger, i.e. 0,4-1,5 cm.

4. The filling is spread over the dough, and may be sprinkled with ground dry walnuts and raisins (sorted and washed) that have been soaked in rum (the soaking in rum is optional).

5. For every kilogram of dough at least 900 g of walnut filling and 100 g of dry raisins must be used.

6. If baked in a mould with a diameter of up to 29 cm, a ‘potica’ must have at least three to four turns; if baked in a larger dish, it may have an additional one to two. The dough is then rolled up tightly and placed in a ‘potičnik’, which may be greased and floured. The two ends of the roll must form a tight seal.

7. The ‘potica’ is left to prove in the ‘potičnik’.

8. Before baking, ‘potica’ may be glazed with a mixture of butter, milk and egg yolks or with any one of these ingredients. It should also be pierced in several places before it is placed in the oven. It is recommended that ‘potica’ be baked for at least 40 minutes at 160-180 °C. Regardless of the recommended temperature and time, either may be modified depending on oven type and the size of the ‘potica’.

9. When done, the ‘potica’ is tipped from the ‘potičnik’ upside-down and left to cool.

10. It may be dusted with icing sugar, is cut into wedges and served.

‘Slovenska potica’ with raisin filling

Ingredients for the raisin filling Permitted tolerances 3 egg yolks or min. 60 g of egg yolks max. 4 egg yolks (80 g) 50 g of castor sugar max. 100 g 1 egg white 30 ml of cream max. 50 ml 1 coffee spoon of crushed or ground vanilla pod max. 0,6 g 500 g of raisins max. 800 g 50 ml of rum max. 80 ml

Preparation of the filling and ‘potica’

1. The raisins are sorted and soaked in rum.

2. The egg yolks are beaten until fluffy, after which the sugar, vanilla, cream and whisked egg whites are added.

3. The dough is rolled out to the thickness of a little finger, i.e. 0,4-1,5 cm.

4. The dough is then topped with the filling and sprinkled with raisins soaked in rum. For every kilogram of dough the filling must contain at least 500 g of dry raisins.

5. If baked in a mould with a diameter of up to 29 cm, a ‘potica’ must have at least three to four turns; if baked in a larger dish, it may have an additional one to two. The dough is then rolled up tightly and placed in a ‘potičnik’, which may be greased and floured. The two ends of the roll must form a tight seal.

6. The ‘potica’ is left to prove in the ‘potičnik’.

7. Before baking, ‘potica’ may be glazed with a mixture of butter, milk and egg yolks or with any one of these ingredients. It should also be pierced in several places before it is placed in the oven. It is recommended that ‘potica’ be baked for at least 30 minutes at 160-180 °C. Regardless of the recommended temperature and time, either may be modified depending on oven type and the size of the ‘potica’.

8. When done, the ‘potica’ is tipped from the ‘potičnik’ upside-down and left to cool.

9. It may be dusted with icing sugar, is cut into wedges and served.

‘Slovenska potica’ with tarragon filling

Ingredients for the tarragon filling Permitted tolerances 150 g of raw butter max. 200 g 100 g of icing sugar min. 50 g 4 egg yolks or min. 80 g of egg yolks min. 3 egg yolks (60 g) 75 g of fresh or frozen tarragon or 15 g of dried tarragon min. 30 g of fresh or frozen tarragon or 8 g of dried tarragon

Preparation of the filling and ‘potica’

1. The butter is creamed and mixed with the sugar and egg yolks.

2. Chopped tarragon leaves or dried tarragon is added.

3. The dough is rolled out to the thickness of a little finger, i.e. 0,4-1,5 cm. For every kilogram of dough 300-400 g of butter and tarragon filling must be used.

4. If baked in a mould with a diameter of up to 29 cm, a ‘potica’ must have at least three to four turns; if baked in a larger dish, it may have an additional one to two. The dough is then rolled up tightly and placed in a ‘potičnik’, which may be greased and floured. The two ends of the roll must form a tight seal.

5. The ‘potica’ is left to prove in the ‘potičnik’.

6. Before baking, ‘potica’ may be glazed with a mixture of butter, milk and egg yolks or with any one of these ingredients. It should also be pierced in several places before it is placed in the oven. It is recommended that ‘potica’ be baked for at least 30 minutes at 160-180 °C. Regardless of the recommended temperature and time, either may be modified depending on oven type and the size of the ‘potica’.

7. When done, the ‘potica’ is tipped from the ‘potičnik’ upside-down and left to cool.

8. It may be dusted with icing sugar, is cut into wedges and served.

‘Slovenska potica’ with tarragon and cottage cheese filling

Ingredients for the tarragon, cottage cheese and sour cream filling Permitted tolerances 125 g of cottage cheese max. 160 g of cottage cheese 125 g of sour cream max. 130 g of cream 20 g of sugar max. 30 g 3 egg yolks or 60 g of egg yolks min. 3 egg yolks (60 g) 3 egg whites or 90 g of egg whites min. 3 egg whites (90 g) 75 g of fresh or frozen tarragon or 15 g of dried tarragon min. 30 g of fresh or frozen tarragon or 8 g of dried tarragon

Preparation of the filling and ‘potica’

1. The cottage cheese is pressed through a sieve and mixed with the egg yolks and chopped tarragon, or dried tarragon, and the egg whites whisked with sugar.

2. The dough is rolled out to the thickness of a little finger, i.e. 0,4-1,5 cm, and topped with the filling. For every kilogram of dough 300-500 g of tarragon and cottage cheese filling must be used.

3. If baked in a mould with a diameter of up to 29 cm, a ‘potica’ must have at least three to four turns; if baked in a larger dish, it may have an additional one to two. The dough is then rolled up tightly and placed in a ‘potičnik’, which may be greased and floured. The two ends of the roll must form a tight seal.

4. The ‘potica’ is left to prove in the ‘potičnik’.

5. Before baking, ‘potica’ may be glazed with a mixture of butter, milk and egg yolks or with any one of these ingredients. It should also be pierced in several places before it is placed in the oven. It is recommended that ‘potica’ be baked for at least 30 minutes at 160-180 °C. Regardless of the recommended temperature and time, either may be modified depending on oven type and the size of the ‘potica’.

6. When done, the ‘potica’ is tipped from the ‘potičnik’ upside-down and left to cool.

7. It may be dusted with icing sugar, is cut into wedges and served.

‘Slovenska potica’ may be frozen raw (unbaked) or baked.

Shelf life of ‘Slovenska potica’

In order to ensure optimum quality and taste, a use-by date must be indicated on each ‘Slovenska potica’.

A freshly baked ‘Slovenska potica’ has a minimum shelf-life of 10 days, the only exception being ‘Slovenska potica’ with tarragon filling, which has a minimum shelf-life of seven days. ‘Slovenska potica’ must be stored in accordance with the producer’s instructions.

A baked and frozen ‘Slovenska potica’ must be used within three months from the date of freezing. Once thawed, ‘Slovenska potica’ must be used within three days.

If frozen raw, ‘Slovenska potica’ has a maximum shelf-life of six months from the date of freezing.

‘POTIČNIK’, the traditional baking dish for ‘Slovenska potica’

A ‘potičnik’ can be made from fired clay, porcelain, enamelled metal, metal with a non-stick coating or other material.

It is round, slightly flared, with smooth or fluted sides. The flutes, if any, run perpendicular to the bottom of the ‘potičnik’. The bottom is flat. A tapered tube runs through the centre of the ‘potičnik’, accounting for the basic, and the only possible, shape of a ‘potica’, i.e. that of a ring-shaped loaf with a hole in the middle that tapers towards the bottom. The minimum diameter of a ‘potičnik’ at the bottom is 14 cm. A clay ‘potičnik’ may be bound by wire for increased durability.

4.3. Description of the key elements establishing the product’s traditional character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

The name ‘potica’ is distinctly Slovenian and derives from earlier Slovenian forms, such as ‘povitica’, ‘povtica’ and ‘potvica’. The single name ‘potica’ has been in widespread use since the 18th century. The oldest written record of ‘potica’ – in its historical form as ‘povitica’ – can be traced back to two volumes (from 1575 and 1577) by Primož Trubar, the author of the first printed books in Slovenian.

The oldest ‘potica’ recipe was published in The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola (1689) by Slovenia’s first encyclopaedist, Janez Vajkard Valvasor. In the first-ever cookbook in Slovenian written by Valentin Vodnik in 1799, the term ‘potica’ refers to the manner of shaping the dough roll. As more cookbooks were published (by Andrej Zamejic, Magdalena Knafelj Pleiweis, Sr Felicita Kalinšek and others), the number of different recipes for ‘potica’ grew. Some can even be found in foreign-language cookbooks, e.g. Die süddeutsche Küche (1897) by Katharina Prato and a cookbook by Marie von Rokitansky from 1897, which explicitly state that the pastry hails from Carniola*.

The current typical shape of ‘Slovenska potica’, obtained as a result of baking in a dedicated stoneware or metal mould called ‘potičnik’ or ‘potičnica’, dates back over 200 years.

One would be hard-pressed to find a traditional Slovenian dish that symbolises a festive menu better than ‘potica’. A feast is not a true feast without ‘potica’, particularly at Christmas and Easter time, and on family occasions. As far as the fillings go, tarragon makes for the most decidedly Slovenian ‘potica’, whilst honey is one of the oldest known.

‘Slovenska potica’ most commonly has a walnut filling, as walnuts were readily available to people of all walks of life and helped to conjure up a feeling of festive abundance. Walnut and raisin filling is also common. Dried grapes or raisins were particularly typical of the parts of Slovenia where the grapevine is grown as a staple crop. The practice of adding raisins to a walnut filling was reported by Janez Vajkard Valvasor as early as 1689, and by Valentin Vodnik in 1799. The same applies to the raisin filling. The tarragon filling is the most typically Slovenian, as the herb has always been associated with sweet dishes. Cottage cheese makes for an extra moist ‘potica’. In the past, cottage cheese would have been added to tarragon filling in the place of more expensive ingredients, such as eggs and butter, which not everyone could afford. Cottage cheese is the only ingredient that goes together with a tarragon filling.

Today ‘Slovenska potica’ is known in all Slovenian regions and also among Slovenes living abroad. Numerous foreign authors, too, consider ‘potica’ to be an original Slovenian dessert.

The name ‘slovenska potica’ was first used in the second half of the 19th century. Its usage is documented in various historical sources:

— ‘[…] our cooks will be travelling to Hamburg, Berlin and Munich for their hard-earned wages to teach the Germans how to properly lard žganci and make Carniolan “potica”* […]’ (Slovenija newspaper, 1849, No 19, p. 74).

— ‘Honey or walnut “potica”, and also dry-cured sausage, are the old Carniolan** originals, to which non-Carniolans have taken a liking as well.’ (Kmetijske in rokodelske novice newspaper, 35/1877, No 11, p. 83)

— ‘Unesco has published a manual on education and training [preposition missing] world cultural heritage. Slovenian “potica” is featured in it.’

— ‘“Potica” is to Slovenia what apple pie is to America.’ (Betsy Oppenneer, Celebration Breads, Recipes, Tales and Traditions, New York 2003, p. 117.)

— ‘But we know many other stoneware moulds and pots. The folklore has it that three Slovenian culinary specialties are baked in them: prekmurska gibanica, belokranjska povitica and “Slovenska potica”’ (Delo in Dom newspaper supplement, July-December 2007).

— ‘What’s next for you is the indispensable Slovenian “potica” and ideas for a festive menu […]’ (Mag magazine, December 2007)

— ‘Certain types of “potica” play a vital role in promoting Slovenia as a tourist destination and in general. Here we would single out “potica” with tarragon filling, the most typical Slovenian “potica.”’ (Slovenske Novice newspaper, January-June 2008)

— ‘A genuine Slovenian “potica” has three to four turns, which can only be achieved with generous amounts of filling.’ (Slovenske Novice newspaper, January-June 2008)

— ‘It would appear that the UK is discovering the sweetness and variety of tastes offered by Slovenian “potica”. A recipe for “potica” or “Slovenian sweet bread” as it is known was recently published in The Daily Telegraph […]’ (Nedelo newspaper, 19/2013, 3 March, No 9, p. 11)

— Teddy Bear Bakes a Slovenian Sweet: ‘Potica’ (Tina Orter, 2014), a picture book for children and parents, with a recipe for ‘Slovenska potica’; translated into eight languages (English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, Swedish and Polish)

— Nuts About Potica (The Slovenia Times, 3 April 2015)

— ‘“Potica”, centrepiece of the festive table’ (website of the Slovenian Tourist Organisation)

NOTE to * and **: From the 15th century onwards, Carniola (SL: Kranjska) was the central historical region in the Slovenian ethnic territory. It was the only one to be entirely Slovenian. Hence, the name Carniolan (SL: Kranjec) was used as a synonym for Slovene. In 1364 Carniola became a duchy, and from 1846 to 1918 it was a crown land under the Habsburg Monarchy. Present-day Slovenia is therefore the successor of the former Carniola.

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.