Description:

POTICA- A nut roll
A nut roll is a pastry consisting of a sweet yeast dough that is rolled out very thin, spread with a nut paste, then rolled up into a log, baked, and sliced crosswise. It resembles a jelly roll (Swiss roll). Fillings commonly have as their main ingredient ground walnuts or poppy seeds.

Nut rolls can be found in the United States and in Central European cuisines. In the United States, "nut roll" is a more or less generic name for pastries of this type, no matter where they originate. Nut rolls are known also by many specific regional names, including: potica, gubana, guban'ca, or povitica in Slovenian;

Regional variations on nut rolls are part of weddings, for Easter and Christmas, as well as other celebrations or holidays.

Different Types

The traditional nut bread served at Easter and Christmas in Slovenia and still very popular in some parts of the United States is called potica. It is a yeast dough rolled and stretched paper thin and spread with a mixture of ground walnuts, butter, eggs, cream, and honey or sugar. It is then rolled jellyroll fashion and baked. Traditionally it was spiraled in a round pan, but now one is more likely to find it baked as a loaf.

Another type of pastry also called poticas are baked in special round cake tins with a tube in the middle. These poticas are usually ring shaped cakes. These pastries are not rolls, but a regional variant of Gugelhupf. There are at least fifty different kinds of these round poticas, differing in fillings. Traditional fillings consisted of walnuts, hazelnuts, honey, mint, curd, cream, cracklings, bacon or dried fruits. Today, the round poticas are often made with cocoa, chocolate or carob fillings.

Ingredients 
•10 cups flour
•3/4 cup sugar
•1-1/2 teaspoons salt
•1 pint warm milk
•3/4 cup butter
•3 packages dry yeast
•1/2 cup warm water
•3 well beaten eggs
•2 pounds ground nuts
•2 cups sugar
•3/4 cup honey
•13 ounce can condensed milk
•1 teaspoon cinnamon
•3/4 cup butter
•3 eggs well beaten
•1 beaten egg

Directions 
1.Combine flour, sugar and salt together and mix well.
2.Add milk, 1/2 of the butter, yeast, water and eggs.
3.Knead dough dipping hands in the other 1/2 of butter for 10 minutes.
4.Let rise in warm place for one hour.
5.Mix nuts, sugar, honey, milk, cinnamon, butter and eggs together and warm slightly in saucepan.
6.When dough has risen dump dough on table covered with lightly floured sheet.
7.Roll dough some then roll dough until thin.
8.Spread filling on dough and roll.
9.Place dough on greased flour pans in the shape of an elongated backward “E”.
10.Brush beaten egg over all the dough.
11.Let rise for 30 minutes.
12.Bake for one hour at 350.

Serve with:
Ham - Bacon and eggs - Sausage - Fruit

Top with:
   - Ice cream or vanilla pudding
   - Lemon, chocolate or caramel sauce
   - Whipped cream and strawberries

Additional serving suggestions would include:
   - Top with a slice of ham, and heat if desired.
      (A traditional way of serving)
   - Top with a slice of cheese and heat until cheese is melted.
   - Spread with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon,
      top with a teaspoon of honey, then heat until warm.
   - Spread with butter, microwave for approximately 10 seconds, then top with one scoop of butter brickle ice cream.