Appetizers
Duvan čvarci (tobacco pork cracklings)
Typical Serbian Dish from the West, these pork cracklings are special for two reasons: They contain only 10% fat and they look like thinly chopped tobacco. The making process lasts about eight hours: Lard is cooked until all the fat has been extracted. The result is a small number of delicate fibers with a pleasant smell and soft, yet crunchy, taste.
Zlatibor, 12., Hannovergasse 17
Pihtije (frozen meat soup)
This is a cold, salty, jellied dish made from cheap parts of pork
or beef, like shank, hock or ear. After the meat is cooked together with onion, carrots, salt, pepper and other spices for several hours, it becomes so soft that it falls off the bone. Finally, the liquid is cooled, sliced into cubes, and decorated with ground paprika, which adds sweetness and spiciness. This delicious appetizer originated from poverty and necessity to use every single piece of pork. Today, we eat it for pleasure.
Konak, 16., Herbststrasse 32
Serbian Main Dishes
Pečenje ispod sača (meat under the bell)
Any type of meat roasted under the sač, a large ceramic or metal lid,
is wonderfully soft and tender. The bell shape of the lid enables the steam
to circulate, which allows the meat and any vegetables, like potatoes, carrots and onions, to stay juicy and succulent. After hours of cooking, all these flavors are perfectly mixed.
Niški merak, 15., Märzstraße 29
Pljeskavica (Serbian hamburger)
The name for this delicious Serbian dish comes from pljesak, which means “to clap your hands.” Which is exactly how we make these large, thin burgers of grilled and spiced pork, beef or lamb meat, usually served
in lepinja, a homemade flatbread. Don’t forget to ask for some onion and kajmak: they make a perfect combo with pljeskavica!
Semendria, 16., Koppstraße 62
Desserts
Slatko (fruit perserve)
Slatko, literally translated “sweet,” is a preserve made from any of the
various types of cooked fruit, doused in a sweet syrup that is usually flavored
with vanilla, cinnamon or lemon. The result is delicious: jelly-like soft pieces of
fruit in a rich, sugary syrup. In Serbian homes, guests are traditionally served slatko and a glass of water or rakia, strong Serbian fruit brandy.
Pekarica, 16., Koppstraße 20
Vanilice (vanilla cookies)
This little sweet, crumbly cookie filled with homemade jam and rolled in vanilla sugar is the biggest star of a Serbian Christmas. It is usually made with eggs, sugar, nuts and vanilla extract. Sounds simple, right? However, the secret ingredient that makes vanilice so soft is lard. Another one is patience: We always wait a few days before serving them, so that the jam can moisturize the cookie and make it even softer. A few years ago, a popular food website, Food52, declared vanilice the best holiday cookie in the world.
Pekarica, 16., Koppstraße 20
