Zagorski Štrukli

Štrukli is the dish of Zagorje, and of Zagreb tables by extension: a thin sheet of dough spread with fresh cow's cheese, sour cream and egg, then rolled or folded and either boiled and dressed with cream, or baked until the top browns and the edges go crisp. Boiled is the older and softer version; baked is what most places serve now. It is not a dessert, though sweet versions with apple, walnut or poppy exist, and it is normally eaten as a starter or as a whole meal in itself. The recipe is listed on Croatia's national register of intangible cultural heritage.

What you actually see

• Baked štrukli - squares of dough and cheese baked in cream until the top browns.
• Boiled štrukli - the older version, soft parcels dressed with butter and cream.
• Sweet versions - apple, walnut or poppy fillings served as a pudding.
• Zagorje village inns - the rural kitchens where it is still rolled by hand from local cheese.

When to go

Year-round, though it is heavy food that suits cold weather better than August. Village inns in Zagorje are busiest at Sunday lunch, when Zagreb families drive out, so book ahead. Zagreb restaurants serve it all week. Autumn brings it onto Zagorje menus alongside game and mushrooms.

Honest expectations

It is rich, and a full portion of the baked version in cream is more than most people expect from a starter. Quality varies widely: a good deal of what is served in central Zagreb comes out of a factory tray and tastes of it. The best is in Zagorje inns that roll the dough in the kitchen, which needs a car. Anyone avoiding dairy has nothing to eat here.

Nearby

The Zagorje castles and the Krapina museum are on the same drive out of Zagreb.