Procip

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Procip is a dessert from the island of Brač in Croatia, made by caramelizing young sheep’s cheese slices in sugar and either water or milk. The name procip comes from the way it was once cooked: the pan sat over a procjep —a gap between pieces of wood that held it in place—so the dessert took its name from that setup.The recipe calls for only three ingredients: sugar, young Brač sheep’s cheese (or curd), and milk or water. After melting the sugar until it turns golden, one adds a small amount of milk (or water) to form a caramel sauce, then places the cheese slices into the pan and allows them to soften slightly and absorb the syrup before serving immediately. What marks this dish is its use of sheep’s cheese at the freshest possible stage—when the curd is barely one day old—and its rapid caramelization just before serving, creating a sweet, warm dish that is eaten right away because the cheese firms up and loses texture if left to cool. On Brač it is enjoyed as a reward at the end of a day at the beach or after a simple lunch, and it pairs naturally with dessert wine or strong black coffee, making it a fit for a light sweet conclusion or relaxed afternoon treat.