Slovenian štruklji Jezersko, worldwide known bite for which we have a recipe

The gastronomic story on a Slovenian plate is told through compact schnitzels, refined sauces and štruklji. Unlike in Croatia, where štrukle are a dish in their own right, traditionally served in clay pots or in soup, Slovenian štruklji resemble pale, delicate roulades that melt in the mouth as you mix them with sauces and meat.

There is hardly a home cook who does not have her own recipe for štruklji (most often passed down from generation to generation), and besides secret ingredients and the particular way the dough is “rolled”, the basic cooking principle is the same everywhere: rolled dough with cheese is cooked for at least an hour, wrapped either in heat-resistant cling film or a thin kitchen cloth, with the ends firmly tied to protect the dough from water and air. If you try štruklji in Jezersko, according to both food lovers and locals, the very best can be found at Gostišče Jezersko.

The restaurant is located right beside the heart-shaped Planšarsko Lake, with views of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps, just a two-hour drive from Zagreb. The master of štruklji here is Renata Petek, who inherited the family hospitality business with her husband Aleš. Štruklji had been made daily, but they were not given special attention — until the pandemic, when the restaurant closed and this young woman realised it was the perfect opportunity to refine her grandmother’s recipe and popularise this traditional dish.

“Štruklji are one of the most typical local dishes in Slovenia. They are prepared with various fillings, but the most popular are fresh-cheese štruklji. Every homemaker has her own secret recipe, and what is common to all Slovenian štruklji is that they are boiled. During the pandemic, while our restaurant was closed, Aleš and I kept ‘kneading’ štruklji until we created a product that felt special to us. That we succeeded is confirmed by the many štruklji lovers who tasted them on our terrace and then decided to take a packaged portion home. For the past five years we have been kneading them every day, and our Jezersko Štruklja is one of the reasons lovers of good food come to visit us,” said Renata, revealing that they serve štruklji with schnitzels in pepper sauce, on their own as a savoury dish with breadcrumbs, or sweet — with chocolate — which is an absolute hit.

In addition to enjoying excellent štruklji, larger groups can take part in Renata’s lively workshops, where she расскаts about the tradition of the dish and the way it is prepared in Jezersko. With her guidance, everyone becomes a štruklji master, and the recipe goes home with them. Until you try štruklji made by Renata — or learn to prepare them with her help — here is the recipe and instructions for making this gastronomic favourite.

Štruklji recipe (for 2 rolls, approx. 1 kg total)

Dough

145 g plain flour

15 g oil

12 g wine vinegar

½ egg

Salt

50 ml water

Filling

600 g fresh cheese

2 eggs

Salt

150 ml milk

Method

Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients and kneading by hand until you obtain a soft mixture. Shape it into a loaf and leave to rest for 30 minutes. While the dough rests, prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients with an electric mixer. Using a mixer is important to achieve a smooth, compact filling without lumps, which are common in fresh cheese. Once the filling is ready and the dough has rested, begin assembling the štruklji.

Divide the dough into two portions so the štruklji are not too long and fit easily into the pot. Roll the dough out thinly and spread it evenly with the filling. Roll everything up and wrap it in heat-resistant cling film. In the final step, tie the ends of the roll securely (making sure all air is expelled and no water can enter) and boil for one hour. Alternatively, you can wrap the roll in a thin kitchen cloth and tie the ends tightly.

After cooking, allow the štrukelj to rest for 15 minutes so it does not fall apart. Then unwrap, slice and serve. You can serve it with breadcrumbs for a savoury version, or add cranberries, chocolate, honey or another jam for a sweet variation.

Photo: Nikola Zoko