Ingredients
Meat
- 900 gmutton or lamb on the bone, in large chunks
- 150 glamb tail fat, in six pieces
Pulses and nuts
- 200 gdried chickpeas, soaked overnight
- 18chestnuts, peeled
Other
- 2onions, quartered
- 6dried alcha plums, or dried sour plums
- 2potatoes, quartered, if wanted
Seasoning
- a good pinch of saffron, steeped in warm water
- 1 tspturmeric
- salt
- 1 tspdried mint, to finish
- sumac, to finish
To serve
- stale flatbread, for crumbling
- raw onion, sliced
- fresh herbs
Equipment
- 6individual clay piti pots, or small ovenproof crocks
Directions
- Soak an unglazed clay pot in water before use. Never put a cold clay pot into a hot oven, since it will crack. Start it in a cold oven and let them heat together. Preparing the chickpeas takes overnight.
- Rinse the dried chickpeas and pick over them for stones. Cover them with plenty of cold water and soak them overnight. Drain them and discard the soaking water. Do not use tinned chickpeas here, since they disintegrate over three hours.
- Score a cross in each chestnut shell. Boil them for about five minutes. Peel off both the shell and the inner brown skin while hot. That inner skin is bitter and must come off.
- Divide the drained chickpeas between the six pots. Add a piece of tail fat to each. Add a chunk of mutton on the bone to each pot. Add three chestnuts and a quartered onion to each. Add a piece of potato if you are using it. Add a pinch of turmeric and some saffron water to each pot.
- Pour in cold water to just cover everything. Do not fill to the brim, since it will boil over. Salt them lightly, since the broth reduces. Cover each pot with a lid or with foil pressed tight. That seal keeps the steam in and concentrates the flavour. Put the pots into a cold oven and set it to 150C. Bake them for a full three hours. Do not open them during that time.
- Bring the sealed pots to the table. Crumble stale flatbread into the bottom of the bowl. Crumble it fairly small so it soaks properly. Pour only the broth from the pot over the crumbled bread.
- Keep all the solids in the pot. Let the bread soak for a moment. Sprinkle dried mint and sumac over it. Tip the meat, chickpeas and chestnuts out onto the plate. Mash them roughly together with a fork. Sprinkle more sumac and mint over them.
Technique
- It is eaten in two courses from one pot: the broth over crumbled bread first, then the solids mashed.
- Use dried chickpeas soaked overnight, since tinned ones disintegrate over three hours.
- Start a clay pot in a cold oven, as a cold pot in a hot oven cracks.
Substitutions
- Small ovenproof crocks in place of clay piti pots.
- Fatty lamb belly in place of tail fat.
Variations
- With dried apricots instead of sour plums.
- Without potato, which is the older version.
- Made in one large pot, though it is not the same.
History
Sheki speciality of mutton, chickpeas and tail fat baked overnight in individual clay pots and eaten in two courses.
Frequently asked questions
What is Piti?
Piti is a soup & stew from Azerbaijan: lamb, chickpeas and chestnuts baked in individual clay crocks; Sheki pride. Sheki speciality of mutton, chickpeas and tail fat baked overnight in individual clay pots and eaten in two courses.
How long does Piti take to make?
Piti takes 30 min plus overnight soaking of preparation and 3 hours of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Piti?
Yes, within limits. Small ovenproof crocks in place of clay piti pots. Fatty lamb belly in place of tail fat.
What is the most important thing to get right in Piti?
Soak an unglazed clay pot in water before use. Never put a cold clay pot into a hot oven, since it will crack. Start it in a cold oven and let them heat together. Preparing the chickpeas takes overnight.
