Early summer was always my favorite time to go back home. The garden is just starting to produce vegetables for picking and one of the first things my grandmother would pick from the garden is blitva or swiss chard. Technically, I think it was another variety of chard but what I currently have available in my grocery store is Swiss chard. The only difference that I was able to tell was Swiss Chard has a bright red stem while the one I remember in gardens back home has a white stem. The taste is almost identical so my favorite thing to make with it is Proja sa Blitvom/Cornbread with Swiss Chard.

Traditionally, Proja sa Blitvom almost always includes feta cheese or any type of hard cheese (sometimes homemade if available). However, depending on the region, that may not always be the case. I personally always add feta cheese into any Balkan-style cornbread that I make. It’s one of my absolute favorite breads/sides and I make it often.

This recipe is very easy and there are no special techniques. One important thing to remember is to use only the chard leaves and not the stem which is tough and stringy. If you don’t like Swiss Chard this cornbread can also be made with spinach so feel free to use that. Frozen is fine, just make sure to thaw it completely and squeeze out all the liquid. I personally like to use fresh just because it’s easier to chop it all up at once. Here in the US, I buy domestic, cow’s milk feta cheese for this (and most) of my recipes. Feel free to use another variety or even cottage cheese if you have that on hand!

I know as soon as you try this recipe you will love it. It’s the PERFECT spring-time recipe that goes great with any meal. It holds a special place in my heart and every time I make it it brings back so many wonderful memories.

Looking for more baked Balkan specialties? Check out the Bakery section!

Proja sa Blitvom/Savory Cornbread with Swiss Chard

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCourse: SidesCuisine: Balkan

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

A traditional spring-time favorite that compliments any meal.

Ingredients

1 bunch Swiss Chard or Spinach, leaves only (if using Chard), chopped – around 4 cups/150g
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup (300 ml) sparkling water
1/2 cup (100 ml) oil
1/2 cup (100 ml) Kefir
3 heaping tablespoons Greek Yogurt (3 dobre kašike)
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
2 cups (200 g) cornmeal (I use Yumis brand)
1 cup (100 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 g) baking powder
1 cup (150 g) crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 F/175 C and grease a baking pan with oil. I use a smaller Pyrex (22 qt) baking dish so my pieces are taller. If you use a large baking dish your pieces will be shorter.

Set baking dish aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and then add in the oil, salt, sparkling water, Kefir, and Greek yogurt. Mix everything well.
Combine the cornmeal, flour, and baking powder. Stir slightly to incorporate the baking powder into the flours. Add to the wet ingredients. and stir well.
Add the feta cheese and Swiss chard and mix again to coat all of the chard in the egg mixture.
Pour the batter into the baking dish and using a fork gently push down any pieces of chard that are sticking up above the surface of the batter. This prevents them from getting burned during baking.

Bake for 25 minutes uncovered, keeping an eye on the top to make sure it doesn’t brown too fast. If it does brown too fast, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
After 25 minutes, increase the temperature to 400 F/200 C to brown the top. The cornbread is done when both the top and bottom crust are nicely browned (benefit of using a glass baking dish).
When baked, remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let cool slightly. Serve warm or room temperature with yogurt, kiselo mleko, or along with any meal.