Pljeskavica

Pljeskavica, also known as the Serbian hamburger, is a flat, round patty made from minced beef, pork, or veal, or a combination of the three, with seasonings such as paprika, salt and pepper, and, in some cases, finely minced onions and garlic.

It is a simple dish that is difficult to master due to the importance of the meat-to-fat ratio in the preparation process. The word pljeskavica comes from the word pljeskati, which means to clap, because this is the motion made when forming the patties, which are then grilled on both sides to a smoky brown color, with typical grill marks on both sides.

Traditionally, the meat is then placed inside a thick flatbread called lepinja, which is just as important as the meat - it should be moist, springy, and warm, not dry, cold, or crumbly. The ideal pljeskavica is juicy, perfectly spiced, and topped with kajmak–a rich, clotted, slightly salty, local cream cheese.

Along with kajmak, the ideal accompaniments to the meat are finely chopped fresh onions, bell peppers, or pickled vegetables known as turija, but the list of possible condiments is long, because pljeskavica pairs extremely well with a wide variety of ingredients.

There are also two major types of pljeskavica: gourmand's pljeskavica, which contains hot pepper flakes, tiny cheese cubes, and bacon pieces scattered throughout.