I never liked sausage that much until I tried cevapi, or cevapcici. This dish is the most famous and almost certainly the best in the Balkan cuisine. Cevapi is a variation of the well-known kebab but it is served in a special yeast-raised flatbread (Lepinja).
Right off the grill, cevapi links will be still sizzling on your plate appealing to both your eyes and mouth. You will love the flavorful and juicy taste of this sausage-shaped meat creation. And because it is rather heavy and very filling, my Serbian friends explained to me that you have to eat it with fresh vegetables on the side.
Cevapi is common throughout the Balkans, but each country has its own slightly different version of the dish. While Serbs like their cevapi made of beef and pork, the people in Bosnia would mix beef and lamb. My recipe combines all three meats as it creates the most powerful taste, but you can go with your favorite blend.
Ingredients:
1 lb (or 500 grams) ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground lamb
1 egg
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cumin
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat and egg white. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and baking soda. The baking soda is important to make your cevapi links porous so that they can breathe while you are cooking them. That’s the secret to juicy and sizzling cevapi. :)
You can add other spices you like with your hamburger, but paprika is a must. The cumin was not in the original recipe, but I like adding it as it goes so well with any meat.
Once you mix in all the ingredients, use your hands to work through the mixture to make it consistent. Form finger length sausages about ¾ inch thick. Although not necessary, you can cover and refrigerate them for an hour or longer to let the sausages firm up and the flavors settle.
If you are going to grill, preheat to medium-low and lightly oil the grilling surface. You will need to turn the sausages until cevapi are cooked through. And don’t worry if you can’t grill! You can make your cevapi on the stove as well. Lightly oil the large frying pan and cook cevapi, turning frequently to brown all sides.
Serve immediately inside the warmed or grilled flatbread pocket with a spoon of sour cream. Prepare a salad with tomatoes, onion, and other vegetables on a side. Cevapi will completely change your view of sausage!
Cevapi is common throughout the Balkans, but each country has its own slightly different version of the dish. While Serbs like their cevapi made of beef and pork, the people in Bosnia would mix beef and lamb. My recipe combines all three meats as it creates the most powerful taste, but you can go with your favorite blend.
Ingredients:
1 lb (or 500 grams) ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground lamb
1 egg
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cumin
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat and egg white. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and baking soda. The baking soda is important to make your cevapi links porous so that they can breathe while you are cooking them. That’s the secret to juicy and sizzling cevapi. :)
You can add other spices you like with your hamburger, but paprika is a must. The cumin was not in the original recipe, but I like adding it as it goes so well with any meat.
If you are going to grill, preheat to medium-low and lightly oil the grilling surface. You will need to turn the sausages until cevapi are cooked through. And don’t worry if you can’t grill! You can make your cevapi on the stove as well. Lightly oil the large frying pan and cook cevapi, turning frequently to brown all sides.
Serve immediately inside the warmed or grilled flatbread pocket with a spoon of sour cream. Prepare a salad with tomatoes, onion, and other vegetables on a side. Cevapi will completely change your view of sausage!
Enjoy!
Is that the same as you made for your birthday? This tastes like heaven, so delicious!! Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
ReplyDeleteYou are such an awesome cook - thanks for sharing so many of your great recipes with us!
ReplyDeleteAfter I read this , I miss Cevapi a lot ! :)
ReplyDelete