Štruklji

Štruklji are a traditional Slovene dish, composed of dough and various types of filling. The dish comes in the form of rolls, which can be either cooked or baked, and can have a wide range of fillings. Štruklji has been traditionally reserved for special occasions, but is now one of the most characteristic everyday dishes in households all across Slovenia.^[1] It is closely related to Zagorski Štrukli, a traditional Croatian dish.^[2]

History

The first recorded preparation of štruklji is said to be in 1589, when a chef at a manor in Graz wrote down the recipe for cooked štruklji with tarragon filling. They became a festive dish for the urban middle class in the 17th century, and spread to rural households two centuries later.^[3] They were incorporated into everyday cuisine at the beginning of the 20th century.^[1]

Ingredients and preparation

The most common ingredients of the pastry are flour – most commonly wheat or buckwheat – mixed with egg, oil, warm water and salt. These are then mixed together and the dough rolled out into a thin layer. The filling can be either sweet or savoury; the most common fillings are apple, walnut, poppy seed, cottage cheese or tarragon. The chosen filling is then spread onto the sheet of dough, and the dough then formed into a roll.^[3]

Alternatively, štruklji can be made by mixing cottage cheese into the ingredients above and cooking the dough as one.^[4]

Štruklji can be steamed, boiled in water, fried or baked. They are often served with either meat and gravy, or a sauce of breadcrumbs.

References