Proja

Proja is a dense Serbian cornbread, baked in a tin and often served with cheese or cream. It is also made in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia, so the bread is shared across the region rather than belonging to one kitchen or one country.

Cornmeal is the base, not wheat, which is why proja is coarser and more crumbly than a wheat loaf. Some wheat flour, eggs, yoghurt and butter are added to hold the bread together and make it rich. Because it is baked in a tin, it sets into a thick, solid block that is cut into pieces to serve.

What it really is

Cornmeal is the main ingredient, mixed with a smaller share of wheat flour, eggs, yoghurt and butter. The yoghurt and butter keep the crumb moist, and the eggs help it set. The batter goes into a tin and is baked until firm and golden on top. The proportions of cornmeal, flour and dairy change from kitchen to kitchen, so one proja can be lighter or heavier than another. It is eaten as a bread, not as a dessert.

How it's served

• Cut into pieces and set out with the meal, to be eaten by hand.
• With cheese or with cream, served alongside the bread.
• Eaten as a savoury bread at the table, not as a sweet.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient, cornmeal, and say it is baked in a tin, so guests know it is a dense cornbread and not a wheat loaf.
• Flag wheat (from the flour), eggs, and milk (from the yoghurt and butter). Cheese or cream served with it adds milk as well.
• State whether the cheese or cream comes as standard with the bread or is an extra, and price it separately if it is.
• It has no meat and can be listed as vegetarian. If you do, check that any cheese served with it is made with non-animal rennet, since that cannot be seen on the plate.