Azerbaijani Lamb and Chickpea Pot Soup (Piti)
Piti Say it: pee-TEE
Piti comes to the table in its own clay pot, and the first taste is a clear, saffron-gold lamb broth sharpened by sour plum. After that, the contents are crushed into a soft, savory mash of chickpeas, chestnuts and tender lamb. It is a dish for a sit-down gathering of six, and most of the work is unattended oven time after the chickpeas have soaked.
Azerbaijani Lamb and Chickpea Pot Soup (Piti)
Piti
Pronounced pee-TEE
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 40 min
- Level
- Medium
Also egg-free.
Allergens: contains nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the pots
To serve
Method
For raw chestnuts, score an X on the flat side of each nut, boil them for 15 minutes, and peel while warm; vacuum-packed chestnuts need no prep. Drain the soaked chickpeas.
Steep the saffron in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) hot water for 10 minutes. If you are using clay piti pots, put them in cold water for 30 minutes before filling.
Coat the bottom of six oven-safe pots (about 2 cups / 480 ml each) with the rendered fat or oil. Build the pots in even layers: onions, drained chickpeas, lamb, chestnuts and sour plums.
Season the layers with salt, pepper and turmeric. Divide the saffron water among the pots, then pour in water or lamb stock until it sits just under the rim, leaving about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of headroom. Put on lids or cover with foil.
Set the pots on a baking sheet and slide the sheet into a cold oven. Heat to 300°F (150°C) and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the lamb is very tender and the broth has a deep golden color. At the 2-hour mark, add a splash of hot water if the pots look dry.
When serving, move each hot pot onto a heatproof plate. Ladle the thin broth into small bowls and dust with sumac. Mash the remaining solids with a fork into a chunky second course, adding a spoonful of broth if you like.
Regional variant: Baku-style piti (piti Bakı üsulu)
In Baku, the pot often goes without chestnuts. Replace them in each pot with 1 quince, cored and cut into chunks, or 2 waxy potatoes, cut into chunks. Nothing else about the ingredients or the long bake changes.
Cook's notes
- Let the dried chickpeas soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight; canned chickpeas become too soft over the long bake.
- Alcha supplies the traditional tart flavor. If using prunes instead, choose a sour type rather than a sweet one, or serve a small squeeze of lemon on the side.
- With no individual clay pots, use a Dutch oven: brown the lamb in the fat over medium-high heat, then add the rest, cover, and simmer on low for the same amount of time.
Serve with
Lavash or tandir bread for the broth, sumac for sprinkling, and a plate of fresh mint, basil and dill.
Make ahead and storage
The finished stew can be refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat it gently and serve the broth and solids separately, just as for fresh piti.
