NastassjaCanCook : Pljeskavica / Pleskavitza: Serbian Meat Patty. The Hamburger That Is Usually Served on Its Own!

Nov 4, 2021 • Pljeskavica is a grilled dish(Serbian Hamburger) consisting of a spiced meat patty mixture of pork, beef and lamb. It is one of the national dishes of Serbia and is very popular in the neighboring Balkan and former Yugoslavian countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Montenegro. The name comes from word "pljesak", in Serbian ,means "to clap the hands. Meat mixture usually kneaded for a long time to achieve viscosity in texture.

PLJESCAVICA RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 llbs lean beef
200gm lamb (fat)
2 medium onions (minced)
2 tablespoons olive oil (used for the purpose of preserving)
300ml sparkling mineral water (or club soda)

Spices:

1½ tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp chili pepper (Aleppo pepper)

Some oil for frying.

(In the original recipe, a combination of three meats is used: beef, pork and lamb. You could use all three or just two of them.It's a question of taste.

This dish is usually served with pickled onions:

2 medium purple onions (half-moon slices)
100ml water
1 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp pickling spices
2 tbsp white vinegar

These patties are usually served well-done and slightly charred. They are very juicy, full of flavor and often served on their own.

Enjoy!