Idrijski Žlikrofi

Ingredients

• 300 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 tbsp lukewarm milk
• 0.5 tsp salt, for the dough
• 500 g floury potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 80 g pork cracklings or diced smoked pancetta
• 40 g lard or butter
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 0.5 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp salt, for the filling
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 60 g butter, to finish
• 40 g dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Before you cook

• Tip the flour and half teaspoon of salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Add the eggs, oil and lukewarm milk to the well and mix to a soft dough.
• Knead the dough for 8 minutes until it is smooth and softer than pasta dough, then wrap it and rest it in the fridge for 1 hour.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks.
• Peel the onion and chop it very finely.
• Chop the cracklings or pancetta into small pieces.
• Chop the chives finely.

Steps

1. Put the potatoes in a pan of salted water and bring them to the boil.
2. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, until a knife goes through easily.
3. Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry in the pan for 2 minutes.
4. Mash the potatoes while they are still hot, keeping the mash tight rather than fluffy.
5. Melt the lard in a frying pan over low heat.
6. Add the chopped onion and cook it for 10 minutes until soft and translucent but not coloured.
7. Add the cracklings and fry for 3 minutes until they crisp.
8. Scrape the onion and cracklings into the mashed potato with all the fat from the pan.
9. Stir in the chives, marjoram, filling salt and pepper and mix until even.
10. Leave the filling to cool, then roll it into balls the size of hazelnuts.
11. Roll the rested dough out very thin on a floured surface, or run it through a pasta machine down to the second thinnest setting.
12. Cut the sheet into strips about six centimetres wide.
13. Set the filling balls along each strip at four centimetre intervals, a little in from one long edge.
14. Fold the dough over the filling and press firmly around each ball to push out the air.
15. Cut between the mounds with a pastry wheel to make small parcels.
16. Pinch the top of each parcel between finger and thumb and press a dimple into the crown so it takes the shape of a little hat.
17. Bring a wide pan of well salted water to a gentle boil.
18. Drop the žlikrofi in in batches and cook them for 4 minutes from the moment they float.
19. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain them well.
20. Melt the finishing butter in a frying pan and add the breadcrumbs.
21. Fry the crumbs for 3 minutes, stirring, until they are golden and smell toasted.
22. Tip the žlikrofi into the pan and turn them gently to coat them in the buttered crumbs.
23. Scatter over the parsley and serve at once.