Roast Turkey with Mlinci Flatbread (Purica s mlincima)
Purica s mlincima Say it: POO-ree-tsa sm-LEEN-tsee-mah
In Zagreb and Zagorje, this festive roast anchors Christmas and family celebrations: tender young turkey, savoury pan juices, and mlinci, the thin baked flatbread from northern Croatia. The flatbread soaks up the drippings, becoming rich and slightly chewy, then crisps at the edges, while the meat stays juicy. It is a celebratory centrepiece that also works as a Sunday roast.
Roast Turkey with Mlinci Flatbread (Purica s mlincima)
Purica s mlincima
Pronounced POO-ree-tsa sm-LEEN-tsee-mah
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Total
- 3 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Roast turkey
Mlinci
Method
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Dry the bird thoroughly with paper towels. Massage the olive oil over the skin, then season the cavity and exterior with the salt and pepper. Set the turkey breast side up on a rack inside a large roasting tin; arrange the onions, carrots and rosemary around it.
Roast for 60 minutes, then spoon the pan juices over the bird. Keep roasting and spooning juices every 30 minutes until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C), roughly 2 to 2.5 hours in all. If the breast darkens too quickly, lay foil loosely over it.
Move the turkey to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 20–30 minutes. Lift the vegetables out with a slotted spoon into a warmed serving bowl and cover.
Tip the pan drippings into a clear jug or fat separator. After a minute, skim off the clear yellow fat and keep it; reserve the darker juices for spooning over the meat.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a strong boil. Add the mlinci in two additions, stirring; when they soften and become flexible after 20–30 seconds, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly.
Put the roasting pan on medium stovetop heat, or move the contents to a large ovenproof dish. Warm the reserved fat until it shimmers. Add the drained mlinci and fold gently to coat, lifting browned bits from the pan. If the mixture looks dry, stir in a ladleful of hot stock; taste before adding salt.
Raise the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the pan with mlinci back in the oven; bake for 15–20 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until patches turn golden and the edges are crisp.
Slice the turkey, place it on a platter with the roasted carrots and onions, drizzle some reserved dark juices over the meat, and serve immediately with the mlinci.
Regional variant: Mlinci with roast duck (mlinci s patkom)
Use one 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3 kg) duck in place of the turkey. Roast at 350°F (175°C) for 1.5–2 hours, until the juices run clear and the skin is crisp. Coat the mlinci with the generous rendered duck fat rather than olive oil; the result is darker and richer.
Cook's notes
- Balkan or Eastern European shops often stock mlinci; if unavailable, tear egg-free lasagna sheets into 2–3 inch pieces, boil just until flexible, and bake them the same way.
- Let the turkey sit at room temperature for about 60 minutes before it goes into the oven so it cooks more evenly.
- Allow the bird to rest; that pause keeps the meat moist while the mlinci finish baking.
Serve with
Pair with a plain green salad tossed in pumpkin seed oil or with pickled red cabbage; pour a dry white from Zagorje or a Croatian Graševina.
Make ahead and storage
Roast the turkey up to one day in advance and warm it gently in its juices; bake the mlinci shortly before serving.
