Cruise ship recipe for:
ZAGORJE CHEESE STRUKLI
from:
Chef Zoran
The recipe for the Zagorje Cheese Strukli offered here by Chef Zoran of Elegant Cruises (no longer in operation)' MS Monet is a famous Croatian dish from the Zagorje region. It is so celebrated that Croatia's Ministry of Culture has awarded the traditional home-made Strukli the status of a protected asset and as such, it is entered in the Registry of Protected Cultural Assets of the Republic of Croatia.
It is prepared for different occasions - as an everyday dish or as a festive delicacy, and in this case Chef Zoran prepared it for the Captain's Farewell Dinner on the MS Monet.
Zagorje Cheese Strukli
Serves 8 to 10. Can be halved for 4 to 8 guests.
5 + 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1 tablespoon cooking oil
pinch of salt
2 + 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
1 cup butter, melted
4 cups heavy cream
Make a dough from the flour, 1 egg, the oil and a small amount of salted water. Knead the dough on a floured surface until dough becomes smooth. Shape into a ball, coat the surface with cooking spray and cover with a cloth for 15 minutes.
Make the filling. Mix the cheese with the remaining 4 eggs. Add salt and 1/2 cup of melted butter. Blend until smooth.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. It should be as thin as possible. Spread cheese mixture evenly over dough. Roll up jelly-roll fashion.
Cut the roll into 20 pieces. Boil the strukli in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes. Drain and arrange in a greased overnproof dish. Preheat oven to 400. Pour the remaining butter over the strukli and top with cream. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
