What is Dalmatian Peka?

Dishes made in fireplace, under the bell- peka are some of the top gastronomic offers in the Dalmatian cuisine. You will find it listed on the menus all over the region. For preparing peka one can use squids, octopus, fish and all kind of meat. If you find yourself in Dalmatia, we encourage you to try it!

For the brave ones we bring a basic recipe for octopus and lamb under the bell.

Octopus under the bell

 2 kg octopus

 1 kg potatoes

 3 cloves garlic

 2 dl olive oil

 Salt

 Pepper

 Sprig fresh rosemary

 Parsley

 1 dl white wine

All the ingredients except the wine put in a flat round tray and then put under the peka/cripnja (iron lid/bell), and leave for an hour under the embers. After an hour, open it, stir the octopus and potatoes and add white wine. Cover the peka again, and let it bake under the embers for another half hour. Additional advice for the preparation of the octopus: if you have a fresh octopus, it is best to freeze for a day, because then the octopus will be softer after the preparation.

Lamb under the bell

 2kg lamb

 5 spoons of grease

 1kg potatoes

 2 tomatoes

 1 onion,

 Carrots, peppers or any other vegetables

 100 ml white wine

 Salt, pepper

 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

 Parsley

 Laurel

Put the meat and the vegetables in a flat, round tray. Add on the grease; add salt, pepper, parsley, laurel and rosemary. Put the tray under the cripnja (iron lid/bell) and leave it an hour under the embers. After an hour open it, stir the meat and potatoes, and add white wine. Cover the peka again, and let it bake under the embers for another half hour.

Dobar tek!