CHEVAPI RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Place the minced beef and pork in a large bowl, then peel and crush in the 4 cloves of garlic. Sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda and paprika, and season.
  2. Crack in the egg and use your hands to scrunch everything together. Add as much of the sparkling water as you need to make a smooth, pliable mixture.
  3. Divide the meat into 10 to 12 pieces and roll each one into a sausage shape, about 10cm long and 2cm thick. Place the cevapi on an oiled baking tray, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge until needed.
  4. For the ajvar, preheat the oven to 230ºC/450ºF/gas 8.
  5. Place the whole peppers and aubergines on a large roasting tray along with the unpeeled garlic bulb and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the veg skins are blackened, turning halfway through.
  6. Place the charred peppers and aubergines in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave for 20 minutes, to steam off the skins. Once they’ve cooled slightly, pull off and discard the skins, seeds and stalks and chop the flesh on a board.
  7. Squeeze out the garlic from 6 of the roasted cloves and add it to the veg along with most of the parsley, then chop it all together (if you have much roasted garlic leftover, stir it into softened butter and store in the fridge – it’s great for garlic bread!).
  8. Keep chopping everything together, season with sea salt and black pepper, squeeze over the juice of 1 of the lemons and drizzle over a good lug of oil. Adjust the seasoning to taste, then set aside.
  9. Finely chop the remaining parsley and tip into a bowl. Peel, finely chop and add the onion, squeeze over the juice from the remaining lemon, then mix together. Set aside.
  10. Just before you’re ready to serve, warm your flatbreads in the oven, and preheat a griddle pan over a high heat. Add the cevapi and griddle for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cooked through.
  11. Spread some ajvar on top of the warm flatbreads, with a couple of cevapi and a guindilla pepper (if using) on top of each, a dollop of sour cream and the herby onions on the side.

Steps:

• Melt the lard or butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. During the last three minutes or so, add the garlic and keep stirring to prevent burning. Remove the onions and let cool.
• Mix the ground lamb with the ground beef. Add the onion/garlic mixture, egg white and paprika and mix well.
• Shape the meat into unappetizing looking little cylinders, which are the traditional shape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Pan fry the cevapi in a little olive oil until nicely browned.
• To serve, cut the pita breads in half and make a pocket in each one. Stuff a few finely chopped onions inside the pita, then add the cevapi and top with a few more of the onions.