Pljeskavica with Ajvar

Name: Pljeskavica with Ajvar
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients: 125 G Ground Beef; 75 G Ground Pork; 0.25 small Onion; 0.5 TSP Salt; 0.25 TSP Pepper (Black); 0.25 TSP Sweet Paprika; 0.125 TSP Baking Soda; 0.5 TBSP Carbonated Mineral Water; 0.25 TBSP Sunflower Oil; 1.5 Red Bell Pepper; 0.25 medium Eggplant; 0.75 clove Garlic; 15 ML Sunflower Oil; 0.25 TBSP White Wine Vinegar; 0.25 TSP Salt; 0.125 TSP Sugar; 1 Lepinja (Somun) Flatbread; 0.25 Red Onion

Pljeskavica with Ajvar is a soulful Balkan burger: juicy, fragrant beef-and-pork patties grilled until slightly charred and served in soft lepinja with a smoky, garlicky ajvar. The meat is seasoned simply but cleverly — a touch of baking soda and carbonated water keep the patties tender — while homemade ajvar adds bright roasted pepper and eggplant flavor for a perfect contrast.

Pljeskavica with Ajvar is a soulful Balkan burger: juicy, fragrant beef-and-pork patties grilled until slightly charred and served in soft lepinja wit... Show more

4.3

•⏳1h 20min•👨‍🍳Medium

nutritious

high protein

comfort food

grilling

mediterranean

eastern european

main/dinner

Method

Heat the oven

Set the oven to 220° C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Roast the vegetables

Rinse the 6 Red Bell Peppers and the Eggplant, pat them dry, and place them whole on the tray. Drizzle with about half of the Sunflower Oil, rub it over the skins, and prick the peppers and eggplant a few times with a fork so they don't burst. Roast for 35 minutes, turning them once halfway through, until the skins are blistered and the eggplant is very soft. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, cover it, and let them sit for 5 minutes so the skins loosen before peeling.

Mix the meat

While the vegetables roast, peel and finely grate the small Onion into a large bowl. Add the Ground Beef, Ground Pork, the fine Salt, freshly ground Pepper (Black), Sweet Paprika, Baking Soda, and Carbonated Mineral Water, then mix with your hands just until the mixture looks evenly combined. Cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes so it firms up and holds its shape better.

Blend the ajvar

When the roasted vegetables are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, remove the seeds from the peppers, and scoop the soft eggplant flesh into a bowl. Peel and mince the Garlic, add it with the remaining oil, then use an immersion blender to puree everything until mostly smooth, with just a little texture left.

Simmer the sauce

Scrape the blended vegetable mixture into a saucepan, then stir in the White Wine Vinegar, the remaining salt, and the Sugar. Set it over medium-low heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the ajvar looks glossy and thick enough to mound on a spoon. While it simmers, shape the rested meat mixture into 4 wide, thin patties and keep them nearby.

Sear the patties

Add a thin film of oil to the hot skillet. Sear the patties for 4 minutes on the first side, flip them, and cook for 4 minutes more until a deep brown crust forms and the centers feel springy. Move them to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes before assembling.

Assemble and serve

Warm each Lepinja (Somun) Flatbread briefly in the dry skillet if you like, split it open, tuck in the rested patties, spoon over plenty of ajvar, and top with the peeled, thinly sliced Red Onion. Serve immediately while everything is hot and juicy.