The Recipe: Croatian Blitva (Swiss Chard and Potatoes)

Retrieved from http://www.thehungarydish.com/blitva-recipe/.

Blitva. It is the most popular side dish in Dalmatia, the coastal region of Croatia off the Adriatic Sea. You will find Blitva on most restaurant menus in Dalmatia. It is a side dish of Swiss chard and potatoes that is cooked with olive oil and garlic. Croatians eat Blitva as a side dish with most meals, and it goes well with fish. 

My father is from Croatia, born in the Istria region across from Venice. Istria, being a former Italian territory until after World War II, has its food culture roots in a blend of Croatian and Italian cuisine. Prosciutto, pasta, wine, truffles, and olive oil are all principle foods there. Blitva, however, not so much. As a result, I first ate Blitva later in life instead of growing up with it, but today it has become one of my favorite dishes. 

Simple, fresh ingredients that can be found in any kitchen can create a great side for your next seafood dinner. If you don't have access to Swiss chard or don't like the taste, spinach works just as well. 

The recipe below serves two people as a side dish. Also, I found a blog post which contains a great video (in Croatian) that demonstrates how to prepare Blitva. 

Recipe

• 1 head Swiss chard 
• 1 potato 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 2 tbsp. olive oil 
• 1 tsp. fresh parsley
• Sea salt 
• Black pepper  

1 Clean chard and remove stems. Tear leaves into smaller pieces. 

2 Clean and peel, if desired, potatoes and chop into 1" pieces. Roughly chop parsley and garlic then set aside.

3 Bring pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes along with a little parsley, black pepper, and garlic. Cook for five to seven minutes until potatoes begin to become tender. 

4 Add chard to pot and cook for another five to seven minutes until potatoes and Swiss chard are tender. 

5 Drain most of the liquid, but not all. Heat pan over medium heat with glug of olive oil. Add garlic, chard, potatoes, parsley, and season with black pepper when pan is hot. 

6 Saute for three to four minutes. Serve with drizzle of olive oil.