Slovenian Appetizers

The Slovenian appetizers are not light and easy to make neither. Sometimes they are even served hot, with sauces and salad. Most of the Slovenian appetizers have an Italian background and consist of pasta. The vegetable timballo di crespelle (lasagne made with crepes) contains minced meat topping, with spinach, artichokes and mozzarella cheese and the bucatini pasta all amatriciana is prepared with canned tomatoes and hard cheese. Penne all arrabbiata (short pasta in spicy, tomato sauce) or the vermicelli alla carrettiera (long pasta with breadcrumbs and garlic), the tortellini (small ring-shaped stuffed pasta) or the risotto and the tortellini might seem all Italian, but the Slovenian recipe is more complex, including more herbs and toppings. Besides these, appetizers may consist in cabbage rolls with beef, rice and ham, burek, seasoned venison with smoked bacon and huckleberries, seafood pasta salad with grated parmesan cheese, corkscrew pasta, crabmeat and broccoli, the Serbian baked beans (pasulj, prebranac) or ajvar.