A lesser-known region, but ever as European in tradition, C-shaped country Croatia offers a flavorful mixture of foods spanning the variety of cultures of bordering countries.

The northern part of Croatia contains a large Austro-Germanic culinary influence, with foods such as sausage, potatoes, stews and meats, said Teo Jurdana, an advertising major from Zagreb, Croatia.

With Italy situated directly to the west, the natural culinary staples in this Croatian region include olive oil, wine, cheese and pasta.

Teo said his favorite home-cooked dish is his mother's Mediterranean-style gnocchi (potato dumpling pasta) served with duck. The Eastern part of Croatia contains equal parts of mainly Austro-Germanic and Mediterranean cuisine, along with a little Turkish influence.

In true European tradition, the people of Croatia place a huge emphasis on enjoying a variety of fresh food. With the humid climate, there is a special appreciation for seasonally grown items, especially produce.

"What would be 'organic' here [in the U.S.] would be standard freshness in Croatia," Teo said.

Croatia also offers a plethora of baked goods, such as cakes, crepes and meringue-based desserts. Teo said he believes that Croatian ice cream, influenced by the Albanians, is better than Italian-style gelato.

Like the rest of Europe, Croatian culture places a large emphasis on home cooking and creating social events around meals, as people often stay to converse for hours when the workday is done.

"It is very important to Croatia, and Europe in general, to have family meals," said Lindsey Blumell Jurdana, Teo's wife and a broadcast journalism major from Alberta, Canada. She served in the Zagreb, Croatia LDS mission, where she grew to love the people and unique diversity of culinary offerings. The two met at BYU when they were introduced by a mutual friend from Croatia.

Stuffed peppers is a traditional Austro-Germanic style dish Teo grew up eating on a regular basis at home in Zagreb.

Stuffed Pepperd

Ingredients:

4 bell peppers, red or green

1 pound ground beef

1 cup white rice, uncooked

1 egg

1/2 red onion, diced

1 tomato

2 cloves of garlic

16 ounces tomato sauce

Mixture to add to meat:

About 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper.

1. Cut open peppers on one side and hollow out insides.

2. In a separate bowl, mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cornstarch, flour, dried parsley, and one egg to thawed ground beef.

3. Add rice.

4. Stuff peppers with meat but not too much because meat expands.

5. In large pot, sautee onion, tomato and garlic in olive oil. Add 16 ounces of tomato sauce and add a can-full of hot water to dilute to a sauce-like consistency.

6. Lay peppers on sides in soup mix. Add water to cover peppers. Cover pot with lid on high heat.

7. When soup starts to boil, reduce to medium heat.

8. Cook for at least one hour - the slower and longer the stuffed peppers are cooked, the better the flavor.

Serve with salad, mashed potatoes, or bread, and sauerkraut if desired. These peppers can be made in large quantities and stored individually in the freezer for up to a week for delicious leftovers.

Copyright Brigham Young University 11 Oct 2007