Cevapčici

Pronounced (roughly) “cheh-vahp-chi-chi”. This is a Dalmatian dish.

Cevapčici

Serves 5

1½ lb. finely ground lean beef
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced (optional)
â…› tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. hot Hungarian paprika or to taste
Salt and pepper
3 to 4 Tbsp. club soda
Finely chopped raw onion or rings
2 cups ayvar (with eggplant)

  1. Mix the meat, optional garlic, spices, salt, and pepper.
  2. Gradually work in the club soda.
  3. With wet hands form the meat into 40 small sausage shapes, packing them around ten 10-inch skewers, four per skewer.
  4. Broil quickly on both sides or grill over charcoal.
  5. Serve with onion and ayvar.

You can buy your ayvar in a jar or make your own according to my linked recipe.  A little rice, Greek salad (with feta), pita, and dry red wine and you’ve got the makings of a pretty good meal.

4 comments… add one
  • Those things are great. Thankfully, there are several stores in the area that sell them.

  • Jude Roland Link

    Where in heaven’s name did you get this recipe? It bears no resemblance to the real thing. I lived in Skopje and ate cevapcici cooked over charcoal braziers in the bazaars and makets. It was ALWAYS made with minced lamb and no other meat, plus some onion and spices. No ‘club soda’ nor other weird American additions. The whole point of ethnic food is to use the right ingredients and method. This a mockery of simple, delicious street food.

  • From a Serbian acquaintance of mine who swore this was exactly the way her mother made it. If the recipe is Americanized, it wasn’t by me.

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