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Basics of the Adriatic Cuisine

How to order octopus, what does "fish of the day" mean, štrukli, and other delicacies — let's figure it out together.
Adriatic cuisine largely mirrors Mediterranean cuisine, but it has distinctly pronounced climatic and historical characteristics of individual regions. In Istria and Dalmatia, Italian cuisine is quite popular, and fish and seafood are the mainstays. In Zagreb and Slavonia, locals prefer meat dishes, often borrowed from Austrian, Hungarian, and Turkish cuisines.

English-Croatian Fish Dictionary

The choice of sea fish in Croatia is quite extensive, and each has a peculiar name. Usually, it is divided into blue (plave ribe) and white (bijele ribe), and various seafood is also widely represented. We will list the most popular species.
  • Blue Fish
    Tuna [tuna] — Adriatic tuna
    Srdela [srdela] — sardines
    Inćuni [intschuni] — anchovies
    Skuša [skuscha] — mackerel
    Šarun [scharun] — royal mackerel
    Palamida [palamida] — bonito, mackerel family
    Papalina [папалина] — European sprat
  • White Fish
    Škarpina [schkarpina] — scorpion fish
    Oslić [oslitsch] — hake
    Grdobina [grdobina] — hake
    Brancin [brantschin] — sea bass
    Orada [orada] — dorado
    Zubatac [zubatats] — sea pike
    List [list] — brill
    Ugor [ugor] — eel
    Kovač, sampjer [kovatsch] — saint pierre fish
    Bakalar [bakalar] — cod (imported from the North Sea)
  • Seafood
    Кamenice, ostrige [kamenitze] — oysters
    Dagnje [dagnje] — mussels
    Dondole [dondole] — vongole clams
    Hobotnica [chobotnitza] — octopus
    Lignje [ligni] — squid
    Sipa [sipa] — cuttlefish (known for its black ink)
    Scampi [skampi] — langoustines
    Kozice [kositze] — small shrimp
Specialties of Croatian Cuisine
Each region has its own special dishes. We have prepared a shortlist to show you the diversity of the Adriatic cuisine, although, we admit, it was quite a difficult choice.
Paški sir / Paški cheese
Hard sheep cheese with olive oil from the island of Pag.

Kulen / Kulen
Spicy sausage made from minced pork with various spices.

Bakalar / Bakalar
Appetizer of dried cod in a special sauce.

Čevapi / Čevapi
Finger-shaped sausages made from minced meat, grilled over hot coals, and served with a special vegetable sauce, ajvar.
Lamb under "the bell" / Peka
Lamb with potatoes baked on coals in a deep dish with a bell-shaped lid. Octopus, lamb, or beef can be prepared this way.

Black cuttlefish risotto / Crn rižot od sipe
Risotto with pieces of cuttlefish and cuttlefish ink added.

Pašticada / Pašticada
Beef marinated in a special sauce of red wine and spices and stewed over low heat the next day.
Brodet / Brodet
Several types of fish or seafood are layered in a pot and stewed with spices and a mixture of red wine, olive oil, and tomato paste.

Octopus salad / Salata od hobotnice
Salad with octopus tentacles, potatoes, onions, garlic, and capers.

Štrukli / Štrukle od sira
Thin dough filled with a large amount of salted cottage cheese.
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