Pastrmajlija (Macedonian Boat-Shaped Pork Flatbread)
Пастрмајлија PastrmajlijaSay it: pah-stur-MAHY-lee-yah
Pastrmajlija comes from Štip in eastern North Macedonia and is easy to spot by its oval dough base and raised, pinched rim. The flatbread bakes to a blistered, crisp border around a soft centre, where diced pork cooks in its juices and a whole egg is cracked in near the end. Older versions used pastrma, a salted air-dried sheep meat, but fresh pork is common today. It is a substantial breakfast or lunch, and the boat shape makes it handy to eat with thick yogurt or a simple salad; start the pork ahead so the seasoning has time to settle.
Pastrmajlija (Macedonian Boat-Shaped Pork Flatbread)
Пастрмајлија, Pastrmajlija
Pronounced pah-stur-MAHY-lee-yah
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 40 min
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
Meat topping
To finish
Method
Toss the pork cubes with salt, paprika and black pepper in a bowl until the seasoning is evenly distributed. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, so the spices can penetrate.
For the dough, sprinkle the yeast and sugar into the warm water; leave for 5–10 minutes until a foam forms. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt with a whisk, then add the yeast liquid and stir until a rough dough comes together.
Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and only slightly sticky. Cover and leave in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour. Deflate, then rest for 20 minutes.
Cut the dough into 6 even pieces. Cover and let them sit for 20 minutes, until puffed and relaxed.
Set the oven to 450°F (230°C). Put parchment on two baking trays. Roll each piece into an 8 x 5 inch (20 x 13 cm) oval, keeping the edge thicker; fold and pinch the border upward all the way around to form a shallow boat.
Place the boats on the trays. Spoon the seasoned pork into each rimmed centre. Chop about half of the lard into small bits and dot it over the meat. Leave for 10–15 minutes while the oven comes to temperature.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the border is golden and the pork starts to brown. Take the trays out, break one egg into the middle of each flatbread, and put them back for 4–5 minutes, until the white is set and the yolk remains soft.
Warm the rest of the lard and brush it over the hot rims, or rub the rims with a small piece. Eat straight away.
Regional variant: Original sheep pastrma pastrmajlija (пастрмајлија со овча пастрма)
Replace the fresh pork with the same weight of ovcha pastrma—salted, air-dried sheep meat—diced very small. Since pastrma is already very salty, leave out the added salt from the meat mixture; if it tastes too salty, rinse or soak it briefly first. Use the same dough, shaping and baking method, and the long marinating step can be omitted.
Cook's notes
- Season the pork the evening before if you can; an overnight rest in the refrigerator gives the spices time to reach the centre of the cubes.
- No lard? Bacon fat or butter can be used for brushing the rim, but lard is the most traditional choice.
- Build a rim a little taller than the base; it keeps the meat juices and the egg from running off during baking.
Serve with
Bring it to the table warm, with thick yogurt or kefir, fresh peppers and a tomato-cucumber salad.
Make ahead and storage
After the first rise, the dough can be moved to the refrigerator for a slow overnight rise; let it come back to room temperature before shaping. Reheat leftovers in a 350°F (175°C) oven.
