In the part of the world where our table is made, some dinners are cooked under a bell. A peka is a heavy iron or clay lid set over a shallow pan of meat and potatoes, then covered with hot embers for hours. It can't be rushed, and nobody tries. By the time the lid comes off, the table is full and the evening is well underway.
Most kitchens don't have an open fire, so this is our version for a home oven. The idea stays the same: few ingredients, a long, low heat, and a dish that takes care of itself while you take care of your guests.
Serves 6 to 8
- 3.5 lb (1.6 kg) lamb or veal shoulder, bone in, cut into large pieces (ask your butcher)
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) waxy potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 onions, cut into thick wedges
- 3 carrots, cut into large chunks
- 1 head of garlic, cloves separated and lightly crushed
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- An hour before cooking, season the meat generously with salt and pepper and leave it at room temperature.
- Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a large Dutch oven or a deep roasting pan, toss the potatoes, onions, carrots and garlic with half the olive oil and a good pinch of salt.
- Lay the meat on top, tuck the rosemary between the pieces, and pour over the wine and the rest of the oil.
- Cover tightly with the lid, or with two layers of foil pressed hard around the edges. The steam does the work, so keep it sealed.
- Cook for 2 1/2 hours without opening.
- Uncover, turn the oven up to 400°F (200°C) and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the meat is deep golden and the potatoes are crisp at the edges.
- Rest for 10 minutes and bring it to the table in the pan.
How to serve it
Peka belongs in the middle of the table, not plated in the kitchen. Set the pan on a wooden board, hand out big spoons and let everyone reach. Serve it with good bread for the juices, a sharp green salad and a jug of wine. It keeps the table busy for hours, which is the point.
On the coast, octopus peka is the favorite: the same potatoes and wine, with octopus in place of the meat. That is a recipe for another evening.
Why slow food makes long evenings
A dish like this changes the rhythm of a dinner. There is no rush between courses and nobody stuck at the stove. The host sits down with everyone else and nobody watches the clock. By the time the pan is scraped clean, the conversation has moved on to the stories people only tell late in the evening.
