Croatian food.

[krylle]

;D
Hello everyone. I've just returned to Sweden after spending two weeks in your beautiful country,one week in Bol, Brac, and one week in Podgora. Beautiful places, nice people and very good food. My favorite dish was "Peka" and now I wonder if anyone can give me a hint of how to make Peka, I want to make it for my friends at home, hope to get some help with this.
Best regards // Krylle.

[noddy]

hi

"peka" is a traditional method of cooking (meat and/or vegetables) in a metal dome (iron bell or something like that) buried in glowing embers. it's not just one particular dish.

so, there are many recipes (not that i can help with any since i've never done it myself).

maybe someone else will be more helpful, but you need to say what exactly you had "ispod peke" (octopus, fish, lamb... the combinations are endless).

[gavul]

I'm not Croatian, but I have watched my father inlaw cook peka a few times. As noddy says, you need a large metal or ceramic dish with a lid. You build up a fire(preferably outside, unless you have an indoor wood fire place) You let the fire burn down untill it's just glowing coals. At this point you put meat and vegetables in your peka with some salt and pepper, and garlic if you like. You can also use any herbs you like(everyone does it different).
You put some water in the peka so things don't dry out too much and some vegetable oil as well. You put the lid on and put it amongst the coals, and shovel some coals on top of the lid as well. The timing I'm not so sure about, but you can easily check it now and then, remembering to replace the coals on top.
The reason it tastes so good is because everything is cooking in the juices of itself and everything else.
You could probably just do it in an oven, but it's just not the same realy.

[krylle]

Thank's for helping me, I will try to do it in my way and see if it's the same / Krylle :D

[croam]

mmmmmnnn. i love food cooked in the peka!!!!

[peroploce]

First clean the potatoes and cut it on half !
Take a few meat steaks, it must be mixed meat ( 1 kg of pork,1 kg of beef, 1 kg of lamb ).
Than put it all together in one plate and spice it with
soil,paper,sunflower oil,and special grasses you have for best flavor ( we use rosemary,bay leaf ).
when fire is down, in a plate put first meat and over the meat a potatoes. on the top you may put little pork grease!
then close it with broiler and close the air buy putting ash all around. put ember ( fire pan )ON the top and all around.
After 45 min, open all and once more mixed by putting meat this time at top! ( potatoes are now down ).
Then put it all back with same procedure,ash, ember...
After 45 min the peka is over !
Dobar tek !
Brgds, Pero villa-solo.com

On google write "peka"and find it on pictures !