Ispod peke · under the bell
The peka
An iron bell, a deep bed of embers, and two to three hours in which nobody is in a hurry. This is the dish people drive up the hill for.
The setting
Tables beneath
century-old olives
The fire is lit in the courtyard long before the first guests arrive. By the time you sit down the smell has been drifting across the hillside for an hour.
The ritual
How the peka is made
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I
The fire is lit
Olive and oak wood, burned down to deep embers. This alone takes the better part of an hour, and it is why a peka cannot be ordered on arrival.
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II
Under the bell
Meat or octopus goes into the pot with potatoes, vegetables, our oil and a little wine. The heavy iron peka goes over the top and seals it all in.
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III
Buried in embers
Embers are raked over and around the bell until it disappears. Nothing escapes: the steam stays inside and everything cooks in its own juices for two to three hours.
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IV
The reveal
The bell is lifted at the table. The potatoes have taken on everything the meat gave up, and this is the part guests photograph before they eat.
You arrive as a guest, you leave as one of ours
There is no host stand and no queue. Somebody comes out to meet you, a glass of rakija appears, and the plata of pršut and cheese is on the table before you have decided where to sit.
Dinner here takes the whole evening. Nobody will rush you out — the last sitting is at 21:30 precisely so that nobody has to.
Generous, unhurried, made for sharing
Every menu arrives complete — the plata, the main with potatoes and vegetables, salad, our bread and a homemade dessert. Come hungry; nobody here measures a portion.
◷ Plan for a long, leisurely meal
Good to know
Before you come
Come hungry
A menu is a full meal from plata to dessert. Most people underestimate this on their first visit.
Allow the evening
Two to three hours is normal. Book the sitting you actually want to arrive at, not the one you can just about make.
Order the peka ahead
Grill and sea menus need a few hours. A peka is best ordered in the morning for the same evening.