Struklji

The original recipe for cooked struklji with tarragon filling is supposed to have been written down in 1589 by a chef at a mansion in Graz. In the 17th century, they became a festive dish for the urban middle class, and two centuries later, they extended to rural households. They were introduced into ordinary cuisine during the turn of the twentieth century.

Struklji ranks first in the list of the best foods in Slovenia with recipe. It is a traditional Slovenian cuisine that consists of various types of rolled dough filled with either savory or sweet ingredients such as cottage cheese, walnuts, apples, and poppy seeds. They can be seen all around Slovenia, in homes, restaurants, and mountain cabins. Struklji can be baked or cooked, and one particular variation is popular in the spring and summer, when struklji are stuffed with fresh tarragon. Originally, the meal was cooked at celebrations and festivities to commemorate the conclusion of hard labor on the farms, and the practice continued until the 1930s, when people began cooking struklji all year.

Ingredients

• For the dough: ½ cup hot tap water2 tablespoons butter1 egg, lightly beaten1 teaspoon salt, if desired2 cups all-purpose flour
• For the filling: 4 tablespoons butter1 cup bread crumbs4 eggs1 pound dry cottage cheese½ cup sour cream1 tablespoon chopped parsley Salt to taste, if desired
• For the topping: 1 cup bread crumbs4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

• To make the dough, place the hot water in a small bowl and add the butter to the water to melt. With a fork, blend in the egg and salt.
• Place the flour in a separate mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in the liquid mixture. Blend and knead until the resulting dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and allow to rest in a draft-free place for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling by melting the butter in an 8-inch saucepan and browning the bread crumbs in it.
• Remove from the heat, add the eggs and stir until they have completely scrambled.
• Combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, parsley and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the egg mixture and mix well.
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured board into a rectangle about 12 inches by 18 inches. Spread the filling over the dough and roll it, starting at its long side, into a tight roll, much like a jellyroll.
• Place the roll on a clean white cloth or a double thickness of cheesecloth large enough to cover it. Wrap the roll in the cloth and tie the ends with string, sausage fashion.
• Coil the roll into a circle and drop it into a large pot of boiling salted water. Simmer for 40 minutes, then carefully lift it from the pot. Unwrap the roll and keep it warm.
• For the topping, sauté bread crumbs in butter until golden brown. Slice the struklji into pieces 2 inches thick and top with the buttered crumbs.