a celebration of Humans, Food, & Culture
Mother Maritza's Peka
Bread Recipe
Captured by
The Recipe Hunters
in Croatia
We travelled to Imotski, Croatia where Ante showed us how to cook veal using the traditional "Ispod Peka," literally translating to "cooking under the lid." The method of cooking Peka is as follows: You begin with a fire. You remove the fire from it's the heated surface, most commonly a fireplace of clay stones, and replace the fire with pan filled with food. You then cover the food with a cast iron dome (the peka or sač) and place hot embers from the fire on top of the cast iron dome. These embers are kept in place by a a metal band that fits perfectly at the base of the dome. In essence, the Peka becomes a self-contained oven sealing in the heat and flavours. When we first encountered Peka, we assumed it was only used to slow roast meat and vegetables. It was only until we met Maritza that we realized Peka was also used to bake bread!?
Maritza is famous in her village for her Peka Bread; It's crispy, crunchy, and tasty on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside. Perfect as a bread to serve with any dinner and great as an appetizer with cheese, ajvar, or olive oil! Check out her Made with Love Peka Bread Recipe below!
Ingredients for Peka Bread
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2 Cups White Flour
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1 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
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1 and 1/3 Cup Lukewarm water
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2 tsp. Salt
Equipment for Peka Bread
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peka or oven
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flat baking pan
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sifter
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Wooden Spoon or Electric Stand Mixer
Recipe for Peka Bread
Makes 1 loaf for 6 people
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Sift flour into a large mixing bowl.
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Yeast Activation: Using a wooden spoon, create a depression in the middle of the flour, add 1/3 Cup of warm water to the well, add the yeast to the water, cover and let sit for ten-fifteen minutes.
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Once the yeast activates (the liquid in the well should look frothy), add salt, and beat the ingredients together thoroughly with the wooden spoon so that it is homogenous throughout and there are no flour bubbles. Note: this dough should be stickier than most bread doughs, it's consistency being more liquid than solid. Love Tip: I always beat the dough as hard as I can, it is almost impossible to over knead my dough. It usually ends up being a ten minute workout for me and the dough.
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Let the Dough Rest. Cover the dough with a dishcloth and let sit at room temperature until it doubles in size (approx 45 min). See Step 5
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Now it’s time to start your wood fired stove. Place the peka on the stove and prop once side of the peka up on a rock so that the smoke can escape as your fire burns. Now place the pan atop the peka. If you don’t have a Peka handy and you want to try the recipe, preheat your conventional oven to 450° F (230° C) with the baking pan inside.
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After the dough has risen, coat a separate mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon oil, and place dough back into the bowl, turning it so it becomes oiled all over.
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Now, oil the baking sheet with a paper towel and pour the dough into the center of the baking sheet. Using your oiled hands, pinch out any air bubbles that form and flatten out the dough.
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Place the pan on the wood fired stove ,cover it with the peka/sač, and then cover the peak with coals from the fire. If you are using a conventional oven to bake the bread, place the pan in the oven. Let the bread bake for 35 minutes. The bread should be golden brown with a hard bottom. If you knock on the bread you should hear a hollow sound. Love Tip: If you are using a Peka, do not check on the bread or else you will lose all of the heat in the Peka and the bread won’t finish baking. Just trust the 35 minute marker! :)
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Take the bread out of the oven, knock on it for that hollow sound, and allow it to cool in the fresh air for about 30 minutes. Your family will smell the aroma and run to the table to enjoy the Imotski Style Crispy Bread, Baked with Love.
Mother Maritza's Peka
Bread Recipe By Photo
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1.
Sift flour into a large mixing bowl.
3.
Once the yeast activates (the liquid in the well should look frothy), add salt, and beat the ingredients together thoroughly with the wooden spoon so that it is homogenous throughout and there are no flour bubbles. Note: this dough should be stickier than most bread doughs, it's consistency being more liquid than solid.
5.
Now it’s time to start your wood fired stove. Place the peka on the stove and prop once side of the peka up on a rock so that the smoke can escape as your fire burns. Now place the pan atop the peka. If you don’t have a Peka handy and you want to try the recipe, preheat your conventional oven to 450° F (230° C) with the baking pan inside.
7.
Now, oil the baking sheet with a paper towel and pour the dough into the center of the baking sheet. Using your oiled hands, pinch out any air bubbles that form and flatten out the dough.
9.
Take the bread out of the oven, knock on it for that hollow sound, and allow it to cool in the fresh air for about 30 minutes. Your family will smell the aroma and run to the table to enjoy Mother Maritza's Peka Bread, Baked with Love.
2.
Yeast Activation: Using a wooden spoon, create a depression in the middle of the flour, add 1/3 Cup of warm water to the well, add the yeast to the water, cover and let sit for 10-15 min.
4.
Let the Dough Rest. Cover the dough with a dishcloth and let sit at room temperature until it doubles in size (approx 45 min). See Step 5
6.
After the dough has risen, coat a separate mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon oil, and place dough back into the bowl, turning it so it becomes oiled all over.
8.
Place the pan on the wood fired stove ,cover it with the peka/sač, and then cover the peak with coals from the fire. If you are using a conventional oven to bake the bread, place the pan in the oven. Let the bread bake for 35 minutes. The bread should be golden brown with a hard bottom. If you knock on the bread you should hear a hollow sound.
Love Tip: If you are using a Peka, do not check on the bread or else you will lose all of the heat in the Peka and the bread won’t finish baking. Just trust the 35 minute marker! :)
Love Tip for Step 3: I always beat the dough as hard as I can, it is almost impossible to over knead my dough. It usually ends up being a ten minute workout for me and the dough.
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