Serbian Pljeskavica

Perhaps, Serbian pljeskavica is the most popular dish in all Balkan countries. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary patty, only much larger. But there are still distinctions: first, the minced meat consists solely of meat and onion, without any bread or rice. Secondly, carbonated water is added to the well-kneaded and beaten minced meat (which, apparently, is where the name comes from – "splashing in water"), it is kneaded again and left in the refrigerator for a day. The third distinction is visual: pljeskavica is made in the shape of a thick disc.

Yield: 5 servings.

Preparation time: 24 hours.

Caloric content: 178 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Cuisine: Serbian.

Ingredients

• mixed minced pork and beef – 600 g;
• rock salt – 10 g;
• carbonated water – 150 ml;
• odorless vegetable oil – for frying;
• paprika – 10 g;
• white onion – 140 g;
• freshly ground pepper – to taste.

Preparation

1. Prepare the ingredients for making Serbian pljeskavica. The traditional ratio of pork to beef in the mince is 1 : 1.

2. Transfer the meat to a suitable mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper.

3. Knead the mince with your hands for 5 minutes, after which add the carbonated water.

4. Knead the mince again until all the water is absorbed. Then beat the mixture by lifting it up and forcefully throwing it back into the bowl.

5. The meat's texture should become completely homogeneous and smooth.

6. Transfer the mince to a smaller container, packing it tightly to ensure that there are no air bubbles inside.

7. Pour a little oil on top, as a thin film will protect the mixture from contact with oxygen.

8. Cover the container with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for a day.

9. After the specified time, grate or finely chop the onion.

10. Add it along with the paprika to the mince, which is transferred to a wide bowl.

11. Mix everything well.

12. Begin forming the pljeskavicas. For this, grease parchment paper or a cutting board with vegetable oil. Visually divide the total volume of the mince into 5 parts. Take the first piece, roll it into a ball, place it on the paper, and flatten it to a thickness of 1.5-2 centimeters. Trim the edges.

13. Heat a skillet with oil. Set the heat to medium. Using a wide knife, lift up the meat disc.

14. Catch it with the other hand and transfer it to the skillet. Fry the first side for about 4 minutes.

15. Flip the pljeskavica to the other side with a wide spatula and fry for the same amount of time.

16. There is no need to cover and stew the patties (if the dish is prepared for children, it can be kept under a lid for steaming). You can check for doneness by pressing the spatula on the soft center – if no juices run out, the meat disc is ready to be transferred to a plate. Fry all the patties this way.

Thanks to the carbonated water, Serbian pljeskavica turns out juicy and fluffy. Such a treat is not shameful to serve even at a festive table. It is served hot, with any side dish and vegetables. These very meaty patties are so good that they are definitely worth trying.