Idrija’s žlikrofi

Idrijski žlikrofi are made from dough with a potato filling and are especially known for their characteristic shape which resembles Napoleon’s hat. They are served with ‘bakalca’ – a dish made of mutton and vegetables – or with other sauces.

 

Ingredients for about 150 pieces:

 

Dough

• up to 300g of white flour

• 1-2 eggs

• water or milk as needed to create a softer dough.

 

Filling

• 500g of potatoes

• up to 50g of crackling grease (minced lard) or smoked chopped bacon

• up to 50g of onion

• chives

• black pepper

• marjoram

• salt

 

For 4 persons we need:

• 900g of Idrija žlikrofi

• water

• salt (up to 10g per 1L of water)

 

Dough preparation: For the dough, combine flour, eggs and water or milk. This dough is softer than noodle dough. Knead until it becomes elastic and does not stick to hands and the board. If the dough is cut, it must be thick and free of holes. Make a lump and cover it to avoid drying out and leave to rest for at least half an hour. Roll out thinly.

 

Prepare the filling: For Idrija žlikrofi boil potatoes and mash them when warm.  Add salt and fat (cracklings, minced lard, roasted bacon), sautéed onions and spices (marjoram, chives, black pepper, salt). Mix well and knead to achieve a soft mixture. The filling should have a nice, firm texture, so add fat if necessary. From the filling, shape hazel-size balls and place them on the dough.

 

Shaping a žlikrof: Place hazel-size balls evenly onto the rolled-out dough (at a distance of a finger). Place one layer of the dough over the balls and press it with fingers between the balls so that the dough sticks together and little “ears” form.  Using your index finger, press lightly onto the dough and make sure it does not tear.  In this way, Idrija žlikrofi get their characteristic Napoleon hat shape.

 

How to properly cook Idrija žlikrofi?

Cook Idrija žlikrofi in plenty of water. We recommend 4L of water to cook 40 fresh žlikrofi or 20 frozen žlikrofi at a time. Add salt to water, boil it and add žlikrofi. Fresh žlikrofi are cooked as soon as they surface; if they are frozen, let them boil for another minute.  Use a skimmer to skim žlikrofi and drain them well.