Popara
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Stale bread, torn into pieces — 4 cups (about 200 g / 7 oz)
- Milk or water, or a mix — 2 cups (480 ml / 16 fl oz)
- Crumbled feta-style cheese — 150 g (5 oz)
- Butter — 2 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
Method
- Place the torn bread pieces in a large pot.
- Add the milk or water and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until the bread softens and absorbs most of the liquid, about 5–8 minutes.
- Stir in the crumbled cheese and butter, mixing until melted and well combined.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Serve hot in bowls.
Introduction: A simple, comforting dish of bread soaked in hot milk and melted cheese, a humble but well-loved bowl found in Montenegrin homes.
Cultural Background: Popara reflects the resourceful, simple cooking of rural Montenegro, transforming stale bread into a warming, satisfying meal, historically eaten by shepherds and farm workers as a filling, low-cost dish.
Tips: Use genuinely stale bread, as it absorbs the liquid better than fresh bread without turning to mush too quickly. Adjust the liquid amount depending on how thick or soupy you prefer the final texture.
Variations: Add a beaten egg, stirred in at the end, for extra richness. Use a mix of milk and stock for a more savoury version.
Storage: Best eaten fresh; leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day, though the texture changes.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk or water, stirring, until warmed through.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 320 kcal, 12 g protein, 16 g fat, 34 g carbohydrate.
FAQs:
Q: What kind of bread works best?
A: A simple, dense country-style bread, ideally a day or two old,
Q: Is popara considered a soup or a main dish?
A: It sits somewhere in between, traditionally eaten
- Stale bread, torn into pieces — 4 cups (about 200 g / 7 oz)
- Milk or water, or a mix — 2 cups (480 ml / 16 fl oz)
- Crumbled feta-style cheese — 150 g (5 oz)
- Butter — 2 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
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