Štruklji are one of the most typical Slovenian dishes consisting of different varieties of rolled dough that are filled with salty or sweet ingredients such as fresh cheese, walnuts, apples and poppy seeds. They are found all over Slovenia - in local kitchens, restaurants and numerous mountain lodges. Štruklji can be baked or boiled, and one unique variant of the dish is especially popular in spring and summer, when štruklji are filled with fresh tarragon. But the best štruklji can be tried in the Moji štruklji chain in Slovenia. We visited them in the very heart of Ljubljana, at the market next to Tromostovje!
On a cold December morning, štruklji tempt with its smells and tastes. A group of German and Italian tourists pass by, while we say hello to owner Peter Vogelnik and marketing manager Uroš Ribič. "In this bar, 80 per cent of our traffic is tourists," Uroš tells us as we marvel at the whole array of štruklji.
The daily offer includes between 35 and 40 different types of štruklji, and there are also seasonal ones such as štruklji with chestnut, apple, hazelnut, and the like. Ideas about new flavours are born every day, from sweet to salty. There are meat and vegetable dishes, and štruklji for vegans are also available. This year they won 4 gold medals and two championship medals at the prestigious Agra fair in 2023 in Slovenia.
Traditional štruklji are sold the most, 8-9 types such as those made of blueberries, white and dark chocolate, raspberries, walnuts and the like. We tasted buckwheat štruklji with curd, which is more traditional than anything else. The dough is usually made with a combination of salted water and buckwheat flour. After it is prepared, a smooth mixture of curd, eggs, sour cream and salt is spread over the dough and tightly rolled into štruklji. Štruklji are boiled in salted water and cut into slices before serving. Although the combination of curd, eggs and cream is the most popular filling, it can also be made with nuts, various cheeses or sweet ingredients.
The whole business started 27 years ago with curd štruklji, Uroš tells us: "There are three shops, the first is here, the second is in a shopping center in Ljubljana, the third is in Tržič, and the fourth is the mountain lodge in Kovci, where it all started. All the story is from above. The owner's father noticed that there were not enough good offers for mountaineers, and today's owner, Peter Vogelnik, was then in his third year of catering school. Together, they started the production of štruklji, starting with the curd ones, which are very famous in Slovenia." The entire production for all locations is in Tržič. The whole production is manual and comes fresh to the tasting places. Everything is finished only with steam so that the štruklji are juicy and warm. Homemade spoon dishes such as jota and ričet are also offered here.
Specially made teas and coffee can also be tasted here. "Nine different teas are made according to our recipe. All teas are hand plucked. Two of the recipes are based on the tea itself, four are herbal and the rest are fruit teas", Uroš tells us as we try the excellent black tea. "My coffee is also our recipe, which is prepared in small production in Slovenia. It contains 90 per cent of premium Arabica grown at the optimal height.“
Moji štruklji Slovenije is an unmissable gastronomic hit in Ljubljana. Originally, štruklji were prepared at celebrations and festivals to celebrate the end of hard work on the farm, and the practice was present until the 1930s, when štruklji began to be made throughout the year. Fortunately, Moji štruklji Slovenia has brought back this tradition in the best possible way!
Moji štruklji Slovenije
Adamič Lundrovo nabrežje 1, Ljubljana
T: +389 59 042 190
Photos: Moji štruklji Slovenije
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