History

Zlikrofi recipe dates to mid-19th-century Idrija and likely arrived with German mining families from Transylvania. The name probably comes from German schlichtkrapfen, slippery dumpling. They were protected at Slovenian national level in 2002 and at EU level in 2010, becoming the first Slovenian dish to gain TSG status. Traditional service is with bakalca, a mutton-and-lamb stew.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 1 hrTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 300g 00 flour plus extra for dusting
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 500g floury potatoes
  • 50g pork crackling or smoked bacon, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp marjoram
  • Salt and pepper
  • 50g butter to finish
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives

Method

  1. Combine flour, eggs, oil and salt. Knead 10 minutes to a smooth dough. Rest covered 30 minutes.
  2. Boil the potatoes whole in their skins until tender, about 25 minutes. Peel and pass through a ricer.
  3. Saute the onion and bacon in a little oil until soft. Combine with the riced potato, marjoram, salt and pepper.
  4. Roll the dough out very thin. Cut 6cm rounds. Place a small ball of filling in the centre of each round.
  5. Fold the round over, seal the edges, then press your fingertip into the top to create the characteristic hat shape with ears.
  6. Cook in salted boiling water 4 minutes. Drain. Toss in melted butter with chives, serve hot.

Tip from the editors. The hat shape is structural, not decorative. The dimple holds the sauce; the ears keep the dumpling upright. Skipping the shape is skipping the point.

Where to eat idrijski zlikrofi

Idrijski zlikrofi in Ljubljana

Druga Violina ★ 4.2

Slovenian€€stari-gradMon-Sat 08:00-22:00Until Tue-Sun until 24:00

Druga Violina keeps the kitchen running till midnight Tuesday through Sunday, with Slovenian classics from kranjska klobasa to ricet available late.

Try: Slovenian classics

Stari trg 21, 1000 Ljubljana

Gostilna Sestica ★ 4.0

Slovenian Traditional€€centerMon-Fri 10:00-23:00, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:00

Sestica has been an inn on Slovenska cesta since 1776. The casual side runs game stews and homemade pasta in a less formal register than the dining room.

Slovenska cesta 40, 1000 Ljubljana

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