In every Croatian family, there’s one unspoken truth: Baka (Grandma) is the queen of the kitchen. Her recipes aren’t written down. They live in her fingertips, in the way she glances at a pot, in the pinch of salt measured with the heart—not a spoon. Her cooking is a symphony of smells and sounds: bubbling pots, the sizzle of oil, and the rhythmic tap of a wooden spoon against the side of a pan.
But what happens when baka is no longer around to pass those secrets on? For many second- and third-generation Croatian-Australians (or Croatians around the world), the kitchen becomes a space of culinary archaeology—a place where we try to recreate the magic of childhood meals with only a few faded notes, sensory memories, and the eternal hope that “this tastes just like baka used to make.”
Cooking Without a Recipe — But With a Mission
Recreating Croatian dishes from memory is both an emotional and delicious journey. You call cousins, argue about whether štrukli should be sweet or savoury, and watch YouTube videos at 1am from women named Marica who knead dough like they’re shaping history. You burn things. You cry into the sarma. But then… you get it right. And suddenly, it’s Christmas Eve in 1997 again, and you’re back in baka’s kitchen.
The Power of Taste and Tradition
These recipes aren’t just about food—they’re about belonging. About remembering who we are and where we came from. About preserving something beautiful for the next generation. And the best part? You can always invite family and friends to be your taste testers. (“Is this how baka made it?” “Hmm, needs more garlic.”)
So today, we honour all the bakas of the world by sharing one dish recreated from memory—a classic, a crowd-pleaser, and a comfort food staple.
Istrian Minestra (or maneštra) is a traditional hearty soup from the Istrian peninsula (Croatia, Slovenia, and parts of Italy), influenced by Mediterranean and Central European cuisines. It typically includes dried beans, seasonal vegetables, smoked meat, and cornmeal or potatoes.
Here’s a classic recipe for Istrian Minestra (Maneštra) with variations based on what’s available:
Istrian Minestra Recipe
Ingredients:
Base:
250g (1 ¼ cups) dried beans (e.g. cranberry beans, pinto, or borlotti), soaked overnight
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
1–2 celery stalks, diced
1–2 potatoes, cubed (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Smoked meat (optional but traditional):
200–300g (7–10 oz) smoked pork ribs, pancetta, ham hock, or sausage (like Kranjska or Kobasica)
Starch option:
3 tablespoons cornmeal (optional, stirred in for thickness)
OR: use diced potatoes as the thickener
Liquid:
About 1.5–2 litres (6–8 cups) water or stock (vegetable or pork broth)
Instructions:
Soak beans overnight in cold water, then drain.
Sauté base: In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Add beans & meat: Stir in soaked beans, smoked meat, bay leaf, and cover with water or stock. Bring to a boil.
Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for about 1.5–2 hours, until beans are tender and meat is falling off the bone.
Add potatoes: In the last 30–40 minutes, add diced potatoes (if using). Season with salt and pepper.
(Optional) Cornmeal: Stir in cornmeal in the last 15 minutes, whisking to avoid lumps, to thicken the soup.
Finish: Remove meat, shred it if needed, and return to the pot. Adjust seasoning.
Serve with:
Crusty bread
A splash of olive oil or vinegar (optional)
Fresh parsley or grated cheese (less traditional)
Variations:
In summer, add fresh corn, zucchini, or green beans.
In winter, use more smoked meat and root vegetables.
Vegetarian version: omit meat and use vegetable broth—add paprika or smoked paprika for depth.
One Recipe at a Time
Whether you’re making fritule at Christmas, kneading dough for pogača, or finally mastering the perfect štrudla, cooking from memory is a tribute to love—flour-dusted, slightly messy, and deeply Croatian.
So open your pantry, trust your instincts, and let your inner baka guide your hands. Because even if you don’t get it perfect the first time, the spirit of Croatian cooking lives on in every attempt.
Do you have a favourite memory of your baka’s kitchen? Or a recipe you’re trying to recreate? Share it—and let’s preserve these stories together.
