Strudels are the most practical and always available mountain dish. Thin layers of stretched dough filled with sweet or savoury mixtures are crispy on the outside and juicy inside. They’re most often made with seasonal fruits like apples, cherries or plums, or with fresh cheese.

A specialty from Zagorje, the region on the other side of Medvednica, this is a thick soup made from forest mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, bacon, onions, spices and cream. It’s so hearty it can serve as a main dish.

Gibanica is a traditional dish made with phyllo dough and layered fillings. It can be savoury or sweet. The Sljeme version is a rich dessert, with multiple layers of fillings – apples with cinnamon, fresh cheese and ground hazelnuts cooked in caramelised milk.

Frkanci are juicy rich meat rolls in the Sljeme style. Boneless pork is stuffed with cheese, wrapped in pancetta and grilled. They're often served with green beans, potatoes or salad.

Barbecue is the method of preparing meat over an open flame or hot coals. Common choices include ćevapi, pljeskavice (burgers), sausages, skewers, marinated chicken, pork neck or chops. A mixed meat platter is a popular option, often accompanied by ajvar or kajmak.

Where there are forests, there is hunting – and the meat of wild forest animals such as deer, roe deer and wild boar is highly prized. It is most commonly prepared as a thick stew, served with gnocchi or bread dumplings.

Any spoonable dish thicker than soup, with lots of vegetables and legumes – sometimes grains or meat – is called varivo in Croatian. It’s warming and wholesome, with ingredients that change with the seasons.

A simple, traditional method of preparing meat under an iron bell covered with embers makes the dish both juicy and perfectly roasted. The most common choices are veal or lamb, along with potatoes, herbs and seasonal vegetables as desired.

Buncek is the local name for a smoked and cured pork shank. This cut of meat needs long cooking to become tender but once ready, it’s a delicious specialty often added to stews or served on its own with sauerkraut and roasted or mashed potatoes.

A dish of long-simmered rolls of fermented cabbage leaves filled with a mixture of ground meat, rice and spices is the most popular winter food. It is served in the flavourful broth they were cooked in, with paprika and chopped cabbage, and always with mashed potatoes.

Sir i vrhnje (cottage cheese and sour cream) is one of the culinary symbols of Zagreb and its surroundings. Fresh cow’s cheese mixed with sour cream can be a delicious spread or filling for strudels and cakes. As a cold appetiser – especially with homemade bread – it’s a beloved refreshment for hikers.

A thick and simple stew made from beans, with some onion, carrots, smoked meat and spices, is the most common hiker’s meal. It’s available year-round and especially comforting in winter with added sausage or smoked pork and sauerkraut.

One of the typical dishes of northwestern Croatia, roast turkey – or duck, alternatively – is now a family classic. The essential side dish is mlinci, pieces of flat pasta first boiled and then baked in the meat drippings.

Breaded chicken – breast, drumstick or thigh – served with rice and peas (known as rizi-bizi) is an ideal family lunch. It pairs wonderfully with green salad, beets or a bean salad topped with pumpkin seed oil.

Boiled or roasted homemade sausages, usually pork, are served with stewed sauerkraut and often sautéed potatoes. This upgraded side dish goes beyond simple boiled potatoes – it’s enhanced by being fried with onions and lard.

The most famous specialty of northwestern Croatia, Zagorje štrukli are soft pastry cushions filled with fresh cheese, egg and cream. They can be savoury or sweet, boiled or baked and served as a starter, main course or dessert.