How to Make the Perfect Peka

by croatiaweek
April 30, 2015
in Food & Wine

‘Under the lid’, ‘under the dome’, ‘ispod peke’, ‘ispod čripnje’…you will hear it called a host of different things, but regardless of what it is called one thing is for certain, you won’t be forgetting the taste of the traditional Croatian dish in a hurry..

Cooked in an open fireplace, hot coals and embers are placed on the lid of light metal dome dish to slow cook whatever is decided to be placed inside. Lamb, fish, vegetables, potatoes chicken, veal, octopus…the options are endless as to what goes inside, but it is not just a case of throwing it all in and hoping for the best. There is an art.

“Start your fire approximately one hour before you wish to start cooking. Ensure you hang the čripnje lid/bell over the fire so it will heat up. Make the fire in the same spot you will place the tray of meat and potatoes. The concrete below needs to be heated up as well,” says SJ Begonja from Dalmatia-based travel blog Chasing the Donkey.

“Place your metal pan in the cooking area, and cover with the lid/bell with your wood embers, this will create a vacuum. Leave it too cook.”