Croatia is very diverse country with three cultural circles; Middle European, Mediterranean and Balkan. Result is very diverse «national cuisine», but in fact we can say there is no national Croatian cuisine, but unique mixture of these circles. Nevertheless, some specialties in my beloved homeland are really autochthon.
One of those is štrukli, a pastry made in northwestern Croatia, land called Zagorje (meaning «behind the hills») and is a picturesque land of rolling hills and jolly but cunning people who like eating, drinking, party and intrigue. Densely populated Zagorje has its unique language based on word kaj which means «what» and has many vineyards producing liters of wine of dubious quality. People tell me that is going to improve and soon we will have a decent wine from Zagorje, without pejorative name kiseliš (sour wine).
Back to štrukli again. Pastry is filled with cottage cheese, made in special way. Lots of things is regarded as štrukli, but only one is the right one. In fact, to protect the traditional preparing, Ministry of culture of Croatia named štrukli non-material cultural heritage. In justification Ministry states that making štrukli is special art of almost every housewife in Zagorje. This region is real treasury of unusual delicacies which smart Zagorje women made for often manifold family, states the Ministry. According to them, there are no such similar variety of making pastries anywhere else in Europe.
Štrukli may be salty, sweet, baked or cookes, for appetizer or main meal. It is pastry filled with cow cheese, with additional sour creme and eggs, rolled and baked. Varieties can be štrukli made of pumpkin, gourd, poppy and turnip, all home grown vegetables. 
For full pleasure of what we consider more as desert (sweet or sour), one drinks white wine, not too sweet, or even rosé. The secret of taste is in little bits of my favourite addition to meals – lemon juice; before you roll cheese in pastry, add just a few drops. And enjoy!
Beloved meal is also singed in traditional Zagorje song Mamica su štrukle pekli which is telling a short story of a mother who wanted to make surprise to their children with štrukli, but – štrukli have been burned! Mother is crying, but children are telling her it is meant to be that way. Although funny, the song has deeper social meaning.
1 comment:
Hi! We have friends in Drenje Brdovecko, which I think may be considered part of Zagorje? Or may be not. Anyway, although the grandmother makes many fine cakes we have not eaten strukli there. We did, however, recently eat the most magnificent walnut strukli in a farmhouse near Most na Soci, Slovenia. They seem to be different from the Croatian ones, being made with what in England we would call a dumpling mixture, rather than flaky pastry, and therefore less rich perhaps. But as a Croat I assume you would not approve!
I love your blog.
Ann
Post a Comment