Bovški krafi
The Bovec valley dumplings: thin dough pockets filled with dried pears, raisins, curd cheese and cinnamon, boiled and served with melted butter and sugar.
- prep
- 1 h 15 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total
- 1 h 35 min
- serves
- 6
- level
- medium
Bovški krafi come from the Bovec basin in the Soča valley, where dried pears were a winter staple. The dough is rolled thin and cut into rounds, filled with a mixture of chopped dried pears, raisins, curd cheese, cinnamon, lemon and a splash of rum, then folded into crescents and crimped shut.
Unlike fried krapfen, these are boiled, then served with melted butter and a dusting of sugar and cinnamon. They are traditionally a festive dish and the filling is easily adjusted to taste.
Bovški krafi is one of the twenty most famous Slovenian foods.
method
Mix the flour, egg, butter, a pinch of salt and enough warm water into a smooth dough. Knead for 5 minutes and rest 30 minutes, covered.
Mix the chopped pears, raisins, curd cheese, egg yolk, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, rum and breadcrumbs into a thick, sticky filling.
Roll the dough out thin, about 2mm, and cut into 8cm rounds.
Place a heaped teaspoon of filling on each round, fold it over into a half moon, and press and crimp the edge firmly to seal.
Simmer the krafi in gently boiling salted water in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, until they float and the dough is tender.
Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain well, and serve with the melted butter poured over and a dusting of sugar and cinnamon.
chef's tips
- Seal the edges firmly; filled pockets that open in the water are the most common failure.
- Soak and chop the dried pears small, or the filling will be too chunky to seal.
- Boil gently; a rolling boil breaks them apart.