Strucchi, originally called 'štrukji' or 'štrukjaci' in the Slovenian dialect variant of the Natisone Valleys, are small dumplings made from a mixture of water and flour, filled with the same filling as gubana, gubančanje. Together with gubanas, strucchi represent the traditional desserts par excellence of the Natisone Valleys.
The name is derived from 'Struckel', an Austrian dialect variant of Strudel, which originally carried the meaning of 'swirl'. (1)
There are traditionally two versions of the Strucchi from the Natisone Valleys: boiled or fried. It was only when strucchi also began to be produced on an artisanal level, i.e. no longer purely in the home, that a third version was born, involving baking strucchi in the oven.
(1)
