Croatian Lamb Peka

A traditional Croatian dish: tender lamb with vegetables, tomato oil and white wine, baked covered in a cast iron pot. Juicy, aromatic and incredibly delicious — perfect served with bread for dipping in the wonderful sauce.

Ingredients

• 600 g Potatoes
• 1 pcs Zucchini
• 1 pcs Carrots
• 1 pcs Green bell pepper
• 1 pcs Eggplant
• 1 pcs Onion
• 800 g Lamb shoulder
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 80 ml Olive oil
• 1 bunch Thyme
• 250 ml White wine
• 1 pinch Black pepper
• 1 to taste Salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (convection) or 220°C (conventional mode).
2. Prepare the lamb: cut the shoulder into large chunks. Cut the vegetables into large, irregular pieces: potatoes, zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, eggplant and onion.
3. Prepare the marinade: mix olive oil with garlic paste, tomato paste, black pepper and salt in a bowl.
4. In a large oven-safe cast iron pot with a lid, arrange the prepared vegetables. Place the lamb pieces on top, pour the marinade and white wine over them.
5. Arrange the thyme sprigs on top of the meat and vegetables so they are easy to remove after cooking. Cover the pot with its lid (if you don't have a lid, cover tightly with aluminum foil).
6. Place the pot in the preheated oven and cook covered for 1 hour 30 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and discard the thick thyme stems. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and continue cooking uncovered for 20–30 minutes until golden brown.
8. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping in the aromatic sauce.