13/06/2024
PEKA
Peka je tradicionalna i još uvijek iznimno popularna metoda pripreme brojnih specijaliteta diljem Hrvatske, a uključuje pečenje jela u otvorenoj vatri uz pomoć pekača od gline ili kovanog željeza. Iako se tijekom naše gastronomske povijesti peka upotrebljavala za razne namjene, na njezin spomen većini na pamet padne tek nekoliko najomiljenijih specijaliteta od kojih rastu zazubice. Među njima je obvezni kruh ispod peke, ali i pečena teletina i janjetina ili pak hobotnica, koja će ovako pripremljena imati poseban okus. Meso pečeno ispod peke sočno je i meko te se odvaja od kostiju, a nezaobilazni je prilog takvim jelima krumpir koji kuha i pečen u mesnom soku ima posebnu slasnu aromu. Peka se sastoji od dva dijela, podloge koja se stavljala na zagrijano ognjište i na koju se stavljala hrana spremna za pečenje te teškog poklopca koji je omogućio da se sadržaj peke u isto vrijeme i peče i kuha u vlastitim sokovima.
Peka (“bell”) is a very popular traditional method of preparing various specialities across Croatia. It involves roasting the food over open flames using a clay or wrought-iron baking vessel.
Although the method was used for various purposes throughout Croatia’s history of food preparation, most people associate it with only a few of the most popular dishes that make everyone’s mouth water. Among these is bread baked “under the bell” (ispod peke in Croatian), as well as roasted beef or lamb, or even octopus, which will develop a specific flavour in the process. Meat roasted under the bell is juicy and tender, easily separated from the bone, and is normally accompanied by potatoes that are cooked and roasted in the meat juices that give them a distinct flavour. Peka consists of two elements – a base that is placed on the hot fireplace, which holds the food, and a heavy lid that enables the ingredients to simultaneously cook and roast in their own juices.
