IDRIJA ŽLIKROFI - DUMPLINGS

Idrija Žlikrofi  are very traditional Slovenian dish from Idrija, a small town in Western part of the country. Idrija is known for Mercury Mine which was listed on the  Unesco World Heritage  in 2012. It also has a long tradition in lace making.

 Typical shape of the hat with ears.

Idrija Žlikrofi are traditional Slovenian Dumplings, special kind of "pasta" made from dough stuffed with potatoe filling. They have characteristic shape of a "hat" with ears, which separates them from the dumplings around the world. 

The original recipe dates from the mid 19th centuary. You can also find this recipe on http://www.turisticnekmetije.si/en/idrijski-zlikrofi. Idrija Žlikrofi were traditionally on the menu for big holidays and celebrations, together with "Bakalca" - Lamb meet stew. 

Today the recipe is registered and protected as a “Traditional Speciality Guaranteed” by the European Commission.  

Ingredients for the dough: 

300 g wheate flour 

1-2 eggs 

1tbs oil 

Water or milk  

Prepare all the ingredients 

and knead a dough.

Knead soft dough (softer than the dough you would make for noodles) from flour, eggs and water (or milk). Knead the dough until it becomes elastic and does not stick to your hands or your working surface anymore. If you cut it, it should be thick and without any small holes or bubbles. Make a small loaf, apply oil on the surface, and cover to prevent it from getting dry. Let the dough rest for at least half an hour.

Ingredients for the filling: 

500 g potatoes 

50 g fat (zaseka or smoked bacon cut in pieces)

50 g onions 

Chives

Black pepper

Salt

Sweet marjoram  

To prepare the filling, boil the potatoes first and mash them when still warm. Add onions fried in fat, herbs, and spices. Mix well to get a soft mixture.  Shape it onto small hazelnut-sized balls (1 – 1.5 cm in diameter). 

Cook and mash potatoes.

Mix with  onions fried in fat 
with herbs and spices.

Roll the dough thinly (1 – 2 mm), and place the filling onto the dough evenly with same distance between the filling balls. Roll the dough over the filling - first to cover the balls and once more to close them, and pinch it together. Press the edges firmly, so they stick. Press each one down in the middle, to get the a small hole on the top of the "hat", but be careful not to break the dough. This is how they get their typical shape. A proper Idrija-style žlikrof should not be longer than 3 cm, and higher than 2 cm.

Make small balls  

and place them on rolled dough.

Roll the dough over,
press in-between and cut.

Press the edges and
gently press each down.

Cooking method: 

Put žlikrofi in salty boiling water, gently stir, and cover with a lid. They are cooked when they start to float and water starts boiling again. Drain carefully, and serve hot. Traditionally they used to be served with a special mutton and vegetable sauce called ¨bakalca¨. 

Idrija Žlikrofi with "Bakalca".

They can also be served alone as a main dish. In that case we can use different dressings - stir-fried bacon, pork cracklings, bread crumbs with butter and serve them with salad. On the photo below I made Chicory salad with hot potatoes and Slovenian pumpkin seed oil.

Chicory salad with warm potatoes and 
Slovenian pumpkin seed oil.

Step by step photos are accessible  on this LINK!