Pljeskavica
Serbia's national grilled meat patty, localized from an older Ottoman-influenced grilled-meat tradition into its own distinct form in Leskovac in southern Serbia, still the dish's spiritual capital and home to a major annual grilled-meat festival. Its name comes from the Serbian word for 'clap,' referencing how the patty is hand-flattened. Real pljeskavica differs from a hamburger in every direction: a mixed beef-and-pork blend seasoned directly into the meat, hand-flattened much larger and thinner than a burger, and served inside pillowy lepinja flatbread with kajmak and ajvar rather than a soft bun.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Dairy, Gluten. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 350g ground beef
- 150g ground pork
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- A pinch of baking soda
- A splash of sparkling water
- Salt and black pepper
- Lepinja flatbread (or pita)
- Kajmak or cream cheese, to serve
- Ajvar, to serve
- Raw onion, to serve
Steps
- Combine the beef and pork with the grated onion, garlic, paprika, baking soda, salt, pepper, and a splash of sparkling water.
- Knead well and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Shape into large, thin patties, about 12-15cm across.
- Grill hot on both sides until charred outside and juicy inside.
- Warm the lepinja, split it, and stuff with the patty, kajmak, ajvar, and raw onion.