Croatian Recipe for Peka

One of the most popular meals in Croatia’s Dalmatia region is “peka,” a blend of vegetables and meat drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with herbs, and then baked to perfection under a bell-like dome, or “ispod čripnje.” You’ll see it listed on menus throughout the region, and if you are lucky enough to be invited into the home of a Dalmatian family, it’s likely that you’ll feast upon it for dinner.

It is traditional for Dalmatians to cook “peka” in their fireplaces at home. Many Croatian families, especially those in the countryside, even have a special oven outdoors for cooking. A “peka” is a large metal baking dish with a bell-shaped dome lid, used to cook food in an open fireplace, with hot coals and embers placed on top of the dome for even, slow cooking. Think of it as a primitive slow-cooker! Meat, poultry, fish and vegetables can all be cooked in this way, and the finished dish is also referred to by the same name: peka!