Peka: Signature Dish of Dalmatia

In an outside oven, underneath the branches and buried under ashes and embers, is a Peka, a domed metal "bell" or lid that is covering a large metal pan. Within that pan, you can slow cook meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and plenty of other ingredients, dependent on your preferences. This is a historic tradition in the Dalmatian region of Croatia, and the meal itself is also commonly referred to as a Peka, though it is also known by other terms, including ispod čripnje, šač, lopiž or pokrivac.

During my time in Croatia, I was fortunate enough to experience a Peka and what a superb experience. Our guide in Croatia, Mirena Bagur, brought us to the home of her uncle, Ante Bagur (pictured above), who cooked the Peka for us. Ante had prepared us another dinner during our trip, so we already knew he was a talented cook, making us even more eager to experience the Peka. We were treated like family, embraced with the genuine warmness of Ante's hospitality.

We began our evening with a traditional Rakija welcoming, a tasting of Croatian brandy. Ante had created his own Rakija, including Herbal, Walnut and Sour Cherry. All three were fairly smooth, with intriguing tastes, and my favorite was the herbal, which showed a nice complexity of flavor. The walnut also had an excellent nuttiness to it, while the sour cherry was tart and not overly sweet.

Traditionally, a Peka is cooked in a fireplace, and Ante has one outside his home. Historically, the basic concept of the Peka extends back at least 3000 years (and maybe as far back as 5,000 years), to the late Bronze Age, when the bell or lid was made of clay. At that time, the food would have been placed directly onto the hearth and then covered with the lid. Over the centuries, the food would eventually be placed into a pan, and then covered by the lid. Hot coals and embers would be placed upon the lid, allowing the food beneath to slowly cook over the course of about two to three hours.

Throughout the centuries, this cooking method has remained popular and relatively unchanged. The biggest innovation would be due to the influence of the Ottoman Empire, who introduced iron Peka, rather than the usual clay lids. The iron lids proved much more popular and continue to be used even today. When you experience a Peka, it is as if you are experiencing a slice of history, thousands of year old. The Peka is also versatile, allowing you to prepare a diverse selection of ingredients, dependent on your preferences. You could easily experience a different Peka every week for a year, each time trying a different combination of ingredients.

"..., for the Croatians of every degree are an amiable, open-hearted, open-handed people, who give to hospitality a very high place among the cardinal virtues and take a sincere pleasure in exercising it."
--The Times (London), August 9, 1884

Peka can be found at some Croatian restaurants, though you might have to order it the day before. However, I think it's better experienced at someone's home because there is an important social element as well. For example, while we waited for Ante's Peka to be ready, we had time to sip wine, talk, visit Ante's garden, eat some local cheese, and simply savor the evening. It isn't quite the same at a restaurant. The excellent hospitality of a Croatian home enhances the experience of the Peka.

Finally, the big reveal, as the Peka is ready to be uncovered.

Once Ante removed the Peka from atop the large pan beneath it, you could see all the alluring ingredients. The main ingredient was octopus, and there was also potatoes, rice, eggplant, apples, olive oil, chili pepper, and herbs from his garden. Basically, any type of protein can be cooked in a Peka, from lamb to chicken, veal to fish. The Peka cooked for about two hours, which you might think wasn't long enough for the octopus, but it proved to be perfect.

My plate was rather full, but I easy devoured it and got even more. The food was so intensely flavorful, the delectable juices having soaked in everything. The octopus might have been the most tender that I've ever eaten, and every piece of it was equally as tender. Even if you thought you didn't like octopus, I think this might have changed your mind. It was such a hearty dinner, yet it made you crave more, and I certainly wasn't the only one who had seconds. With our dinner, we enjoyed a Croatian Plavac Mali and an Italian Aglianico, and both reds actually worked well with the Peka. Yes, some seafood does work well with red wine! This was easily one of my favorite meals while I was in Croatia.

If you'd like to make your own Peka at home, then you could always travel to Croatia and buy one at a local market or shop. There is also a company, Culinary Croatia, which sells two different-sized Pekas and ships them to anywhere in the world. I don't know much about this company, except what I've read online about them.

And if you ever get invited to a Peka dinner, just say yes.