Whoever comes to Prilep and doesn’t try širden might as well say they’ve never truly been here. This is one of the rare gems of contemporary Macedonian cuisine, a dish treasured by locals and unforgettable to those lucky enoug
h to taste it.
For the uninitiated, širden is the lining of a lamb’s stomach, known for its unique texture and ability to absorb rich flavors. Preparing it takes patience, but the reward is more than worth the effort.
The process begins with thor-/oughly cleaning the abomasum, the elastic muscle organ of a lamb or sheep. It’s then generously stuffed with a mix of three types of chopped meat, onions, and paprika, seasoned with black pepper, pimento, and salt. A splash of water is added, the opening is sewn shut with a needle and thread, and the parcel is baked slowly in lard inside an earthen casserole. The result? A tender, aromatic masterpiece that tells the story of Prilep in every bite.
- 500 g veal
- 500 g pork
- 500 g lamb
- 4-5 pieces of shirden
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4-5 dried peppers
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- spices: salt, pepper, pimento
- 150 g rice
- 150 g of olive oil
- 250 ml water
- 100 ml beer
Preparation:
- Clean each shirden thoroughly, scrape and so they are ready for charging.
- Cut meat in small pieces (1,5 cm) and wash with water. Put some oil in a pot, add meat and fry for about 30 min. Before the end of frying, add finely chopped onion and fry another 5 minutes. Then add finely chopped dried peppers, finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and pimento. Remove the pot from fire and add washed rice.
- Put two handfuls of the mixture in each shirden and some liquid from the pot where the meat fried.
- Close each shirden with a toothpick. Arrange in an earthenware pot, pour beer and halfway water. Put a little red pepper, pour oil and pierce each shirden with toothpick couple of times so they won't crack during baking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 90 minutes. Once the top takes on a rich, golden-red color, gently turn them over to brown the other side as w ell. If the top starts to darken too quickly, cover with baking paper to prevent burning. Serve hot, topped with the flavorful sauce from the pot and accompanied by a glass of good red wine.
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