Recipe
Pljeskavica
The Balkans' answer to the burger: one big hand-kneaded patty of beef and lamb, rested in the fridge, seared hot and served in warm somun with raw onion and kajmak. Unlike ćevapi, this is a single proud patty - charred outside, juicy inside.
Pljeskavica takes about 30 minutes and makes 4 servings. Each serving has 860 kcal.
- Preparation
- 20 minutes
- Cooking
- 10 minutes
- Total time
- 30 minutes
- Servings
- 4
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 860 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 51 g
Ingredients
- Ground beef500 g
- Ground lamb250 g
- Red onion1 pc
- Garlic2 cloves
- Sweet paprika1 tsp
- Baking soda1/2 tsp
- Cold mineral water50 ml
- Salt1 pinch
- Pepper1 pinch
- Sunflower oil1 tbsp
- Somun flatbread (lepinja)4 pcs
- Kajmak100 g
Instructions
- 1
Combine the beef, lamb, grated onion, crushed garlic, paprika, baking soda, salt and pepper. Pour in the mineral water and knead by hand for a full 5 minutes, until the meat turns sticky and holds together.
- 2
Cover the bowl and rest the meat in the fridge for at least 2 hours - overnight is even better.
- 3
Divide the meat into 4 balls and press each into a wide, flat patty about 1 cm thick - wider than your palm.
Tip: Press the patties thinner than feels right - they shrink and thicken on the heat. A small dimple in the middle keeps them flat.
- 4
Brush a grill pan or your heaviest skillet with oil and get it properly hot. Lay in the patties and sear undisturbed for 4–5 minutes.
- 5
Flip and grill the other side until nicely charred and just cooked through.
Tip: Flip only once and never press down on the patty - you would squeeze out exactly the juices that make it good.
- 6
Warm the somun briefly on the pan, split it open and tuck in the pljeskavica with chopped raw onion and a generous spoonful of kajmak.
Cooking methods
On the stove
Use a cast-iron grill pan or your heaviest skillet over high heat. It is hot enough when a drop of water dances and evaporates instantly. Do not move the patty for the first few minutes so a proper crust can form.
On induction
Preheat the pan for 2–3 minutes at level 9, sear at 8–9, then drop to 6–7 after flipping. Induction recovers heat quickly, so watch that the surface chars rather than burns.
Over an open fire
This is pljeskavica's natural home. Grill on an oiled grate over glowing embers, never open flame, about 4 minutes per side. Warm the somun at the edge of the grate while the meat rests.
Recipe questions
- How long does this recipe take?
- Plan for about 30 minutes from start to finish.
- How many servings does this recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings.
- Can I cook this recipe on induction?
- Yes. Preheat the pan for 2–3 minutes at level 9, sear at 8–9, then drop to 6–7 after flipping. Induction recovers heat quickly, so watch that the surface chars rather than burns.
- Can I cook this recipe over an open fire?
- Yes. This is pljeskavica's natural home. Grill on an oiled grate over glowing embers, never open flame, about 4 minutes per side. Warm the somun at the edge of the grate while the meat rests.
In the app
Cooking the way it should feel
One step on screen, a timer that keeps going, and clear progress until the dish is done.
