CNN PUTS "PROJA" ON THE LIST OF THE BEST BREADS IN THE WORLD

Serbian "proja" has made it onto the list of the 50 best breads in the world, according to the American television network CNN, where it is described as a type of cornbread served warm, straight from the oven, as an essential accompaniment to goulash and other traditional dishes.

In many regions of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the tradition of milling has been preserved by new generations, thanks to whom it is still possible to find the ingredient without which "proja" is unimaginable - flour made from indigenous varieties of corn.

"To be good and high-quality flour, first of all, the grain quality must be good, it must be domestic corn, primarily dry, to make good and quality 'proja'," says Kosa Jovanović from Likodra.

The recipe for "proja" also includes lukewarm water, a teaspoon of salt, and lard. After the dough passes through the valuable hands of the hostess, it is baked in a wood-fired oven and served with a wide range of traditional dishes, from kaymak and pork scratchings to goulash.

"Made according to the old domestic recipe of our grandmothers, in these modern times, 'proja' has become a true gourmet delicacy and has become indispensable on the tables. Today, 'proja' enjoys the status of healthy homemade food," emphasizes Radmila Vasiljević from Krupanj.

"Proja" was once considered a meal eaten by people of lower socioeconomic status, but today it is considered a delicacy on tables. Its significance to Serbs is evident from the perspective of ethnologists. In some parts of our country, it is an integral part of holiday rituals.

"The most interesting custom related to this happens on Little Christmas or Serbian New Year. The bread prepared for that day is actually 'proja.' It can have various names, besides 'česnica' (bread), it can be called 'vasilica' or 'oračica,' and it is decorated in various ways," says Ana Čugorović, an ethnologist.

In order to enrich the taste, cheese, eggs, and margarine are added to "proja" in more recent times. However, experienced housewives claim that true Serbian "proja" consists of only four ingredients.

Source: RTS